“That Bridgend County Borough Council:

Recognises the public concern about dog fouling in the County Borough. 

Notes that dog fouling can have serious health implications, including toxocariasis which can cause infections leading to gangrene and amputations.

Applauds Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council's efforts to implement new harder-hitting dog fouling rules through its Sort **IT Out! campaign.

Calls on Bridgend County Borough Council to immediately introduce a similar scheme which includes a Public Spaces Protection Order which would:

• ban dog walking from all schools, children’s play areas and marked sports pitches maintained by the Council.
• compel dog owners to keep a dog on a lead at all times at Council maintained cemeteries.
• compel dog owners to clean up their dogs’ mess immediately and dispose of it properly.
• compel dog owners? to carry means to pick up dog mess (i.e. bags) at all times.
• compel dog owners to follow a direction from an authorised officer to put a dog on a lead.
• empower authorised officers to levy an increased penalty on irresponsible dog owners who flout these rules”.?

Councillor A Williams proposed the following Notice of Motion.

“That Bridgend County Borough Council:

Recognises the public concern about dog fouling in the County Borough. 

Notes that dog fouling can have serious health implications, including toxocariasis which can cause infections leading to gangrene and amputations.

Applauds Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council's efforts to implement new harder-hitting dog fouling rules through its Sort **IT Out! campaign.

Calls on Bridgend County Borough Council to immediately introduce a similar scheme which includes a Public Spaces Protection Order which would:

• ban dog walking from all schools, children’s play areas and marked sports pitches maintained by the Council.
• compel dog owners to keep a dog on a lead at all times at Council maintained cemeteries.
• compel dog owners to clean up their dogs’ mess immediately and dispose of it properly.
• compel dog owners? to carry means to pick up dog mess (i.e. bags) at all times.
• compel dog owners to follow a direction from an authorised officer to put a dog on a lead.
• empower authorised officers to levy an increased penalty on irresponsible dog owners who flout these rules”.?

The Notice of Motion was seconded by Councillor KJ Watts.

The Cabinet Member Communities expressed some sympathy with the sentiments of the Notice of Motion as action against dog fouling was one of the key pledges in the manifesto.  He stated that in order to implement a Public Spaces Protection Order as proposed in the Notice of Motion, significant public consultation will firstly have to take place.  He also commented that as the matter is a Cabinet function it would need address to explore all avenues open to the Council to bring forward robust measures in order to address the spirit of the original Notice of Motion and that a report be presented to a future meeting of Cabinet.  He also informed Council there would need to be engagement with key partners and the proposals would also need to be considered by Scrutiny.  

Councillor JP Blundell in seconding the proposal made by the Cabinet Member Communities commented that the implementation of a Public Spaces Protection Order would need to be financed.  Engagement would also need to take place with key partners in order to enforce such an Order and the experiences of other local authorities would had implemented Orders would need to be looked at. 

Having had those assurances from the Cabinet Member Communities, Councillor A Williams then withdrew the Notice of Motion, which was duly seconded by Councillor KJ Watts.

RESOLVED:            That the original Notice of Motion be withdrawn and that an amendment is made in that consultation take place to explore all avenues open to the Council to bring forward robust measures in order to address the spirit of the original Notice of Motion and that a report be presented to Cabinet due to it being a Cabinet function. There would need to be engagement with key partners and a report on the proposals be placed on the Scrutiny Forward Work Programme.