Issue - meetings

Following a report of the Group Manager for Street Scene and Open Spaces, the Environment Policy Development Group have made the following recommendation that:

i)             Authority be given to consult with members of the public and other relevant stakeholders to introduce a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) under Section 59 of the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014.

ii)            The fixed penalty for breach of the order be set at the maximum level permitted of £100.

Following a * report of the Group Manager for Street Scene and Open Spaces, the Environment Policy Development Group had made the following recommendations that:

i)             Authority be given to consult with members of the public and other relevant stakeholders to introduce a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) under Section 59 of the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014.

ii)            The fixed penalty for breach of the order be set at the maximum level permitted of £100.

The Cabinet Member for the Environment outlined the contents of the report stating that the proposed order enabled dog fouling and anti-social behaviour by dogs in public spaces across the district to be addressed; it was therefore proposed that the document be approved to go out to public  consultation.  He outlined the number of reports logged with regard to aggressive behaviour by dogs both on and off the lead.

Consideration was given to:

·         The consultation responses received which would return to the PDG and the Cabinet for consideration

·         Notices to be placed on the entrances to parks and open spaces advertising the public consultation

·         Concerns with regard to a blanket ban

·         The need to gather the views of local residents

·         Whether some open spaces could be designated for dogs to be allowed to run free

RESOLVED that the recommendation of the Policy Development Group be approved.

(Proposed by Cllr L D Taylor and seconded by Cllr D J Knowles)

Note:  *Report previously circulated, copy attached to minutes.

To receive the Public Spaces Protection Order from the Group Manager for Street Scene and Open Spaces.

The Group had before it a *report from the Group Manager for Street Scene and Open Spaces considering widening enforcement powers in order to deliver a cleaner and more sustainable environment across the district and to replace current dog control powers across the district which were due to expire in October 2020.

The Chairman indicated that the report had been considered at the previous meeting where it had been requested that the item be deferred to allow further work to take place on the documents.

Consideration was given to:

·         The fixed penalty for a breach of the order being set at the maximum level and how that rate was set by legislation

·         How the protection order would be enforced by officers

It was therefore:

Recommended to Cabinet that:

1.            Authority be given to consult with members of the public and other relevant stakeholders to introduce a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) under Section 59 of the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014.

2.            The fixed penalty for breach of the order be set at the maximum level permitted of £100.

 (Proposed by Cllr D R Coren and seconded by Cllr W Burke)

Note: Report previously circulated, copy attached to minutes.