03/28/2024

Wales News Online

Local & National News for Wales

TWEAKS to rules intended to stamp out dog fouling have been suggested to councillors following a public consultation.

At a meeting of Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council’s Place scrutiny committee on Tuesday, September 20, councillors will look at the findings of a consultation on changes put forward to their Public Space Protection Order for dog control (PSPO).

The council is looking to renew the PSPO for nearly 130 areas in the county, including playgrounds and school playing fields.

This would see dogs banned or only allowed to walk in these areas on a lead.

The consultation was held from July 19 to August 17.

In his report, public protection service manager David Thompson will tell councillors that amendments to the order are recommended following the results of the consultation.

Mr Thompson said:

“We received 28 written responses in total from members of the public, the DogsTrust and the RSPCA.

“The general themes of the responses were supportive of the dog fouling aspect of the PSPO whilst also requesting for additional dog fouling bins to be put up at specific locations within the borough, and also queries on how the PSPO would be enforced and requests for additional signage at sites.”

He added that other comments included the need for areas for dogs to be able to run off-lead and a list of these places to be made public.

On the changes proposed, Mr Thompson said that a request had been made for dogs to be allowed to be walked around a sports pitch on the walkway at Llanhilleth recreation ground.

This would be allowed and a dog-on-lead area introduced, while the school, playground, sports pitch, and bowling green remain dog exclusion areas.

For Brynmawr Welfare Ground, requests were received from several people to allow dogs to walk through the park area.

Due to this Mr Thompson proposes amending the existing dog exclusion area and introduce a dog-on-lead area throughout the general walkway areas of the park while the playgrounds and sports pitches will remain as dog exclusion areas.

The headteacher of Brynmawr Foundation School also asked to update the exclusion area there following changes to the access road in recent years.

These are a result of the Heads of the Valleys Road improvement works.

At Bryn Bach Park in Tredegar an extra dog exclusion area at the mini golf play area is also proposed.

The existing PSPO was introduced in November 2019 for a period of three years.

It created dog exclusions and on-lead areas and made it an offence not to pick up dog poo.

Owners who commit an offence could be given a £100 fixed penalty notice, but failure to pay within a specific time could result in a maximum fine of £1,000.

Councillors will be asked to back the proposals or produce alternatives.

A report including their recommendation and comments will be forwarded to a full council meeting later this autumn for approval.

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