Public Spaces Protection Order
The Vale of Glamorgan Council is committed to tackling anti-social behaviour in relation to dog fouling
The Vale of Glamorgan has often been described as one of the best places to live in Wales. We, as a Council, are proud to have been awarded Green Flag status in a growing number of parks and Blue Flag status at Whitmore Bay and are working continuously to maintain these high standards.
The Vale of Glamorgan is a dog-friendly county. There are a number of parks, open spaces and beaches for dog walkers to take advantage of. However, there are a small number of dog owners who do not take responsibility for their pets when it comes to enjoying these open spaces.
Despite several educational interventions, such as the Dog's are Clever campaign, there continue to be issues across the Vale of Glamorgan with some irresponsible dog owners, specifically where dog faeces is not being removed. We know that the majority of dog owners are responsible and we do not want to prohibit them from enjoying the open spaces that the Vale of Glamorgan has to offer.
In order to tackle these ongoing issues the Council has the power to serve a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) under the Anti-social Behaviour Crime and Policing Act 2014. The purpose of a PSPO is to restrict persistent anti-social behaviour in public spaces. This would replace the byelaws and restrictions that are currently in place. The PSPO can last for 3 years and if breached an authorised officer could issue a Fixed Penalty Notice up to £100, which if not paid could be increased to £1000.
Proposed Restrictions. In order to introduce restrictions in the form of a PSPO the Council must consult with the community. We have produced a list of areas, based on current byelaws, and would like your input as to whether these should be covered by a PSPO.
In summary, it is proposed that the current restrictions are retained and that byelaws are replaced with Public Spaces Protection Orders. The current restrictions can be summarised as follows:
• Dog faeces should be removed from all public places by the dog owner
• Dogs are prohibited from marked sports pitches during that sports' season
• Dogs are prohibited from enclosed children's play areas
• Dogs are prohibited from a number of beaches from 01 May to 30 September.
Drop-in Sessions during August. – Officers will be at the following locations at the following times to discuss the proposals and capture feedback from stakeholders.
Porthkerry Country Park, Lodge near Café, Thur. 2 August, 3pm – 6pm
Celtic Way Community Centre, Rhoose , Mon 6 August, 3:00pm – 6:00pm
Buttrills Community Centre, Barry, Tues 7 August, 2:00pm – 4:00pm
Cowbridge Leisure Centre (Reception area) Tues 14 August, 3:00pm – 6:00pm
This consultation will run from 27 June until 22 August 2018. If you have any questions please contact: consultation@valeofglamorgan.gov.uk or complete the on line survey