TOUGH new powers to clamp down on dog-foulers have been proposed and the council want’s residents’ views.
In a bid to tackle dog owners who think it is acceptable to not pick up after their pet, Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council is proposing three new offences along with a more expensive fixed penalty notice to act as a stronger deterrent.
The new offences, which would be grouped alongside existing offences under a wide ranging Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO), are: Failure to have the means to pick up after a dog, requiring dogs to be kept on leads in to-be-determined areas and banning dogs from fenced-off children’s playgrounds.
Enforcement Officers will be enforcing the new offences from July 2016 and will be issuing fines of £100 to anyone who flouts the PSPO.
Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council could become one of the first authorities in the UK to implement the new PSPO legislation and it is hoped this will benefit the wider community.
The feedback residents give during the consultation period, which runs until Monday, April 11, will help decide the final content in the new order.
These new offences are part of a wider campaign to promote responsible dog ownership across the borough following the launch of the ‘Pick up the poo before they do’ campaign last year.
Councillor Helen McLuckie, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods, said: “The council is keen to make a determined stand against a minority of dog owners in Redcar and Cleveland who think it is acceptable to not clean up after their pet.
“We are interested in hearing the views of residents, whose feedback we will use to fine-tune these proposals into an Order that will be of benefit to communities across the borough.”
Residents from across Redcar and Cleveland are invited to give their views on the proposals at: www.redcar-cleveland.gov.uk/consultation.