Agenda item

To consider the call in of the Executive Decision 30 October 2018, Public Spaces Protection Order for Dog Control in Teignbridge by Councillor Cox, and supported by Councillors Connett, Dewhirst, Eden, Nutley and Wrigley.

Consideration was given to the call-in of an Executive decision made on 30 October 2018 relating to the Public Spaces Protection Order for Dog Control in Teignbridge. The decision seeks the implementation of a Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) for Responsible Dog Ownership under ss59 to 75 of the Anti-Social Crime and Policing Act 2014.

The decision has been called in by Councillor Cox and supported by Councillors Connett, Dewhirst, Eden, Nutley and Wrigley.  Councillor Cox’s reasons for call-in are:

1. To clarify the Executive’s proposals to extend the dog ban on Ness Beach and Holcombe Beach as it now seems they were included in error. 

2. To examine the decision to have only four as the maximum number of dogs on a lead in the light of the decision by East Devon District Council and the comments from the Kennel Club, the Dogs Trust and the Peoples Dispensary for Sick Animals.

Since the Executive meeting on 30 October 2018 there has been a large

public response to the decision. Members in considering the call-in should note the number of responses to the decision balanced with the number of people who responded to the consultation. The Environmental Protection Manager gave an update of the number of correspondence received which amounted to approximately 180, and a summary of the key points.  

The consultation with the public covered maintaining the existing seasonal dog exclusion areas. The Ness Beach and Holcombe Beach are not covered by the existing seasonal dog ban. It was not the intention that the PSPO restricted access to these beaches.

The Executive report detailed the outcome of the public consultation and included a number of comments from interested organisations. Overall the consultation results did not provide a consensus on the number of dogs a single individual should walk. 

In support of the call-in, Councillor Cox submitted that six was an acceptable number of dogs for any one individual to walk. The support for this was that this would be consistent with East Devon District Council, public liability insurance covers six dogs, for many dog walking businesses this is their only income and limiting the number of dogs to four could result in their businesses folding. He added that a Review Group should be set up to work with responsible dog owners/walkers, to identify volunteers to assist the Council wardens in engaging with offending and irresponsible dog owners/walkers to become more responsible, keep their dogs under control, and always clear up dog faeces from the dogs for which they have responsibility.

The period of the dog ban on beaches for inclusion in the PSPO was not part of the call-in. However the Chairman agreed that this issue could be discussed.

In response to a question on the details of the PSPO at agenda page 14, the Environmental Protection Manager advised that the ‘reasonable excuse’ under (i) of the heading No more than ‘x’ dogs, would be at the officer’s discretion.

In response to further questions, the Environmental Protection Manager advised that highways, cyclepaths, and Dawlish Warren Nature Reserve were included in the PSPO.

Resolved

That the following recommendations from this Committee be referred to Executive:-

(a)       That the number of dogs that any one individual can walk at any one time be a maximum of six.

(b)       That the annual period of restriction on beaches be reconsidered.

That a Review Group be set up to primarily work with responsible dog owners/walkers, to identify volunteers to assist the Council wardens in engaging with offending and irresponsible dog owners/walkers to become more responsible, keep their dogs under control, and always clear up dog faeces from the dogs for which they have responsibility, and review the implementation of the PSPO in the first 12 months.