Tell us what you think about dogs in parks and on beaches

Havant Borough Council is reviewing the rules for dogs in designated public places and wants to hear from residents.

A public consultation has been launched today to seek resident’s views on plans to continue the current Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) for dogs on beaches and in parks and open spaces in the borough.

A PSPO helps the council to tackle particular activities carried out in a public place which is detrimental to the quality of life or the area.

The council introduced the current Dog Control Public Space Protection Order in April 2018, which made it an offence in designated public places such as parks, playgrounds, beaches, and public spaces to:

  • Fail to remove dog mess immediately;
  • Not put and keep a dog on a lead when instructed to by an authorised officer; and,
  • Allow a dog to enter an area in which dogs are excluded.

A breach of an order can result in offenders being issued an on-the-spot Fixed Penalty Notice of £80.

These orders are due to expire in April 2021, and before the council can extended the regulations for a further three years, it wants to find out if the orders need updating.

Councillor Narinder Bains, Cabinet Lead for Neighbourhoods, Safety and Enforcement, said: "Our aim is to keep our parks and open spaces as welcoming as possible for all residents to enjoy, especially those with dogs.

“We hope to hear from as many residents as possible, whether they are a dog owner or not, as your opinion matters and will shape the new order.

"These protection orders act as a deterrent to anyone tempted to flout the rules. Our hardworking officers have found the PSPO invaluable in educating a small minority of people.  It also gives them powers to issue fines when necessary.”

The consultation survey will run from Monday 19 October 2020 to Friday 27 November 2020 and should take between five to ten minutes to complete.

Visit our dedicated dogs PSPO webpage to have your say.   Anyone unable to complete the survey online can call 023 9244 6053 during office hours to conduct the survey on the telephone.