A local AM has called on Powys County Council to use new powers contained in new UK Government legislation to get tough on irresponsible dog ownership.
Montgomeryshire Assembly Member, Russell George, has said that Powys Council should utilise new, wide-ranging powers under the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, to properly clamp down on persistent anti-social behaviour, like dog fouling, which the AM calls a ‘scourge’ against the local environment.
The Act removes Dog Control Order Regulations in England and Wales and replaces them instead with Public Space Protection Orders and Community Protection notices.
Public Spaces Protection Orders can be issued by Councils to stop individuals or groups committing anti-social behaviour in a public place by imposing conditions on the use of that area which apply to everyone. The order could also be used to deal with likely future problems. A breach of the order without reasonable excuse would be a criminal offence, subject to a fixed penalty notice or prosecution and £1,000 fine.
Community Protection Notices are a lower level statutory notice that can require an individual to stop and address the cause of their anti-social behaviour, forcing them to take reasonable steps to ensure that it does not occur again. A breach of any requirement in the notice, without reasonable excuse, would be a criminal offence, subject to a fixed penalty notice or prosecution and a fine, which for an individual would be £2,500 or for a business or organisation, could be up to £20,000.
Commenting, Mr George said:
"The issue of dog mess is probably one of the single highest recurring issues in my Assembly postbag.
"I’m inundated with complaints from irate residence who feel not enough is being done by Powys Council to stop this persistent and disgusting form of anti-social behaviour.
"When I was Environment Spokesman, a number of local authorities complained to me that the previous regime of Dog Control Orders was too mired in red tape, which made it more difficult for them to crack down on dog fouling; a scourge which blights the local environment.
"I agreed with them and asked the Welsh Government to undertake a review in 2012.
"However now that the UK Government have implemented the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act, there is a comprehensive and wide-ranging suite of powers which I feel Powys should properly implement, so that this unacceptable nuisance is effectively dealt with."