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16 Review of Public Spaces Protection Order for Dog Control PDF 527 KB
The report and Appendicies A, C, D, E and F are attached to the agenda.
Additional documents:
Minutes:
Matter for
Decision
The Officer’s report:
i.
Referenced the statutory consultation exercise
conducted by the Council during March and April 2020 in relation to the proposal
to extend and vary the Public Spaces Protection Order (‘PSPO’) for Dog Control
2017 in respect of dog control (including dog fouling, dog exclusion and dogs
on leads requirements) within Cambridge.
ii.
Referenced responses to consultation and main substantive
issues raised
iii.
Set out recommendations for the Executive
Councillor.
The Council had given careful consideration to the responses to the
consultation exercise. The PSPO, as
varied and extended, was not put forward as a means of unduly restricting the
exercising or recreation of dogs across the city. The reason for the PSPO was
to address the detrimental effect on the quality of life of those in the
locality caused by the irresponsible behaviour of a small minority of dog
owners; and to set out a clear standard of behaviour to which all dog owners
were required to adhere.
Decision
of Executive Councillor for Transport and Community Safety
i.
Approved the PSPO, as set out in
Appendix A of the Officer’s report.
· Approved the area
of the PSPO, as indicated in the maps at Appendix B of the Officer’s report.
· Delegated to
officers the authority to install, update and/or remove signage appropriate to
any PSPO that may be agreed.
Reason for the Decision
As set out in the Officer’s report.
Any Alternative Options Considered and Rejected
Not applicable.
Scrutiny
Considerations
The Committee received a report from the Community Engagement and
Enforcement Manager. She updated paragraph 3.33 of the report as follows:
Following the fairly equal response
regarding removal of previous restrictions at the play areas set out in 3.31,
officers recommend that the areas detailed should not have the
existing restrictions removed and the areas continue to be locations in which dogs
are required to be on leads at all times.
The Community Engagement and Enforcement Manager said the following in
response to Members’ questions:
i.
As part
of the consultation process signs had been put up in parks and open spaces advising
of a consultation to variation an extension to the 2017 PSPO.
ii.
A
consultation exercise had also undertaken so that local residents could
feedback on the proposals. 267 had done so, which was comparable to the 330
responses in last consultation of 2017.
iii.
Officers
had tried to contact people who walked dogs commercially [usually individuals
rather than companies] about the proposals and to seek their views. .
iv.
The
Wildlife Trust had also previously been approached.
v.
The
PSPO recommendation regarding Byrons Pool and the restriction of the number of
dogs followed national guidance that:
a.
One
person should be limited to having a maximum of four dogs on leads at any one
time in order to be able to control them.
b.
Walkers
should tidy up after their dogs.
The Committee unanimously resolved to endorse the recommendations.
The Executive Councillor
approved the recommendations.
Conflicts of Interest Declared by the Executive Councillor (and any
Dispensations Granted)
No conflicts of interest
were declared by the Executive Councillor.