Issue - meetings
Tackling Anti-Social Behaviour relating to dogs: Updating our enforcement tools
Meeting: 18/04/2017 - Communities, Housing and Environment Committee (Item 86)
Additional documents:
- Enc. 1 for Tackling Anti-Social Behaviour relating to dogs: Updating our enforcement tools, item 86 PDF 87 KB
- Enc. 2 for Tackling Anti-Social Behaviour relating to dogs: Updating our enforcement tools, item 86 PDF 88 KB
- Enc. 3 for Tackling Anti-Social Behaviour relating to dogs: Updating our enforcement tools, item 86 PDF 89 KB
- Enc. 4 for Tackling Anti-Social Behaviour relating to dogs: Updating our enforcement tools, item 86 PDF 740 KB
Decision:
1.
That a formal consultation be undertaken for a 1 month period on
the introduction of 3 Public Space Protection Orders (PSPOs) to
update and improve the enforcement tools available to officers when
dealing with irresponsible dog owners;
2.
That the fixed penalty notice available for each PSPO be set at
£100 in line with other PSPOs; and
3. That representations made in the public consultation be considered by the Head of Environment and Public Realm as detailed in Section 6 before the Head of Housing and Community Services makes the PSPOs unless there are significant relevant objections when there would be a report back to Committee.
Minutes:
The Environmental Enforcement Manager presented a report on the formal process of replacing the existing Dog Control Orders with updated enforcement measures.
The Committee was
informed that a consultation had been undertaken with residents and
visitors to Maidstone in relation to controls for dogs in the
borough. The survey was conducted to
establish awareness levels around the removal of specific bins for
dog waste and the success of the accompanying campaign about how
dog waste could be disposed of in the regular litter bins.
It was noted that the current Dog Control Orders would convert to
Public Space Protection Orders in October 2017 and would stay in
place for a maximum of 3 years before they needed to be
reviewed.
The Environmental Enforcement Manager advised that he had reviewed the current Dog Control Orders and considered that the fixed penalty level should be more in line with other offences and that provision should be made to extend the current orders to other areas that should be protected. The proposed measures for the PSPOs would be subject to a public consultation to be run in the Spring and was as follows:-
1.
To increase the current fixed penalty notice for dog fouling from
£75 to £100. The maximum
fine through prosecution would remain at £1000.
2.
To extend the current order which applied to enclosed
children’s play areas to open plan play areas.
3. To make it an offence for a dog to be in the cemetery grounds without being on a lead.
In response to questions from Members, the Environmental Enforcement Manager advised that:-
·
The fixed penalty notice for dog fouling could not be increased
above £100 due to legislation.
·
That covert work was being carried out in local parks where
particular problems had arisen.
·
That a policy of more dogs on leads would reduce the level of
fouling and the amount of anti-social behaviour of some
dogs.
·
The Dog Watch campaign encouraged people to inform on others who
had not picked up their dog waste and disposed of it
appropriately.
·
The Cemetery had experienced problems of dogs being allowed to run
loose and this had been considered anti-social.
RESOLVED:
1.
That a formal consultation be undertaken for a 1 month period on
the introduction of 3 Public Space Protection Orders (PSPOs) to
update and improve the enforcement tools available to officers when
dealing with irresponsible dog owners;
2.
That the fixed penalty notice available for each PSPO be set at
£100 in line with other PSPOs; and
3.
That representations made in the public consultation be considered
by the Head of Environment and Public Realm as detailed in Section
6 before the Head of Housing and Community Services makes the PSPOs
unless there are significant relevant objections when there would
be a report back to Committee.
Voting: For: 9 Against: 0 Abstentions:
0