Issue - meetings

To consider the report of the Assistant Director – Customers and Operations, (copy enclosed).

The Council considered the report of the Assistant Director – Customers and Operations seeking approval to proceed with the public consultation to review the existing Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) for dog control in publicly owned areas district wide which was due to expire on 18 July 2025.

The report advised that implementation of the Anti-Social Behaviour and Policing Act 2014 by the Government in 2014 had given local authorities and the Police more effective powers to tackle Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB). Amongst these tools were PSPO’s which provided Councils with a flexible power to implement local restrictions to address a range of ASB issues in public places in order to prevent future problems. Further details of PSPOs was set out in the report.

Members were advised that a review of the existing PSPO for Dog Control was proposed to assess the appropriateness of extending the current conditions in the District. Appendix 1 to the report detailed the current areas of the District covered by the PSPO for Dog Control and the proposed controls Officers were seeking to continue were set outlined in the report.

The proposed consultation document was attached at Appendix 2 and provided an explanation of the review consultation, maps of the proposed areas and a questionnaire to gain people’s view. It was noted that if agreed the consultation document would be published on the Council’s website and circulated to requisite people or parties.

The Chairperson moved the recommendation set out in the report and this was duly seconded.

A number of comments were raised during the debate of this item of business and in response the Assistant Director – Customers and Operations advised that:

·                consideration could be given to including a larger the area in the PSPO in Burnham-on-Crouch as part of the consultation.

·                the Council’s Community Engagement Officers were receiving additional training to support the enforcement of PSPOs.

·                Officers would be carrying out reactive and proactive work in respect of intelligence received. The Council was looking to reinstate some arrangements to engage with the pubic to ensure Officers were reactive to information received across the District.

It was commented that the Council should do what it can to control dogs around football pitches from a public health perspective.

The Chairperson moved the recommendation which was duly agreed.

RESOLVED that the Council begins a six-week public consultation starting on 7 April 2025 on the proposal to extend the PSPO for dog control in publicly owned areas district wide.