MID Devon District Council is being encouraged to be more vigilant with offenders who refuse to keep their dogs on leads or clean up after their dogs in Newcombes Meadow in Crediton.

The council dog wardens regularly issue fixed penalty notices to those who refuse to observe the rules of the park in which so many children play.

Despite this, regular abusers of the park rules are continuing to flout the rules.

On October 7, 2021 the Council introduced a new Dog Control Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) for a duration of three years in order to ensure that dogs are kept under proper control in Public Spaces, as well as to tackle dog fouling.

Public Spaces are defined as land which is open to the air, including covered land which is open on at least one side and to which the public are entitled and permitted to have access, with or without payment; and excluding Forestry Commission Land.

The PSPO states that anyone in control of a dog in a Public Space must:

• Remove your dog’s faeces/mess

• Carry a bag (or other means) to clean up after your dog

• Produce a bag (or other means) to clean up after your dog if asked to by an authorised officer/police constable

• Put and keep your dog on a lead and under control in any of the cemeteries or churchyards listed in Schedule B

• Put and keep your dog on a lead and under control in any of the parks listed in Schedule C

• Put and keep your dog on a lead and under proper control at the request of an authorised officer/police constable

• Keep your dog out of any of the enclosed play areas listed in Schedule D

• Not walk more than six dogs at any one time.

If you fail to comply with the PSPO then you could:

• be issued with a Fixed Penalty Notice of £100 (reduced to £50 if paid within 14 days of the date of the Notice), or

• face court action which could result in a conviction and a fine of up to £1,000.

Links to the PSPO and the plans showing the dog control areas can be seen at: https://www.middevon.gov.uk/residents/dogs/public-space-protection-order/ .

To report a dog fouling incident, please use MDDC’s online Dog fouling Incident form: https://www.middevon.gov.uk/do-it-online/street-scene/dog-fouling/ .