Responses to an ongoing consultation on plans to issue a £100 fine to dog walkers for not clearing up after their pets have been overwhelmingly in favour of the proposals so far but councillors have warned more education is needed.
South Holland District Council is looking to bring in a Public Service Protection Order (PSPO) which would allow officers to hand out the fixed penalty notices to those with a pet not even equipped to pick up its poo.
So far 94 per cent of the 329 respondents were in favour of a fine for anyone not picking up their dog mess, 88 per cent are in favour of fining dog walkers not equipped to pick up the pet’s faeces and 82 per cent want to ban dogs from enclosed children’s parks.
The consultation runs until October 8 but an update was provided to a meeting of South Holland District Council’s Policy Development Panel on Tuesday (September 24).
Coun Anthony Casson, SHDC’s portfolio holder for public protection said: “I think it’s an excellent thing to be doing.
“It will make it a lot easier for our officers and Enviro-Crime team and also bring them in line with the policies of our partner councils Boston and East Lindsey which already have these measures in place.”
The district council’s group manager for public protection, Donna Hall, told the panel that if the proposals were progressed they would look to come into force from February of next year with the time before it being utilised to make the public aware of the measures.
It follows concern from councillors including Coun Jan Whitbourn saying that ‘not one person’ she’d spoke to about it new about the proposed new changes and when she asked one how they would pick up their dog’s mess, that person responded that they would use their sock.
“If it does come into effect in February, it gives us time to educate the public.
“We’ve got work to do with that including putting up signs in some areas and getting the information out in different languages.
“If it comes in, during that period up to February officers can use it to not hand out fixed penalty notices but to educate dog walkers ahead of it coming in.”
Ms Hall also stated that there was scope for the Enviro-Crime Team to work evening and weekend shifts if problems with dog fouling are identified outside of the usual 9-5 hours.
“Where and when they work will be led by information and reports we receive,” she said.
The consultation is at https://www.sholland.gov.uk/pspodogcontrol
The debate led to a call for more dog areas in the district.
