Plans to extend dog control order in Fenland go out for consultation

A Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) enabling the council to undertake enforcement against issues such as dog fouling and out of control dogs expires this month.

The council is now proposing to extend the PSPO for a further three years and would like the public’s view on whether its current restrictions should be retained.

Introduced in 2017 as part of the council’s ongoing Tidy Fenland campaign, the PSPO imposes the following dog control restrictions:

• Dog fouling to be removed from any land to which the public have access

• Out of control dogs to be put on a lead when requested by an authorised officer

• Dogs to be on a lead in some open play areas, public facilities, closed cemeteries and churchyards

• Dogs to be excluded from fenced/gated play areas and open cemeteries.

An online survey has been launched for residents to have their say at: www.fenland.gov.uk/dogPSPO2020. The survey will be available to complete until May 28.

The council is also reminding dog owners to follow the PSPO rules during the coronavirus pandemic. Staff are still carrying out enforcement patrols where possible, and anyone caught breaching the order can be issued with a Fixed Penalty Notice.

Cllr Peter Murphy, the council’s portfolio holder for the environment, said: “Our public open spaces play an important role in the wellbeing of our residents, now more so than ever during the pandemic. We want everyone to be able to enjoy them and sometimes that means having rules to make sure that can happen.

“The restrictions in our existing PSPO govern where dogs can go and when they should be kept on leads and helps us to tackle dog fouling and nuisance dog behaviour problems. Without the order in place we would not be able to enforce such restrictions, so would welcome people’s views on whether it should be extended.”