New PSPO order for dog ban and on-lead areas in Thanet approved

The dog PSPO has been approved

Cabinet members at Thanet council have approved a Public Space Protection Orders (PSPO) to ban dogs from children’s play areas and introduce a strict on-lead policy for pets being walked in cemeteries.

Summer dog bans for beaches will remain the same as previous years following an amendment tabled by Cllr Lin Fairbrass.

The main change for beaches is that the ban will no longer be enforced at Walpole Bay. Instead owners will now be able to take their pets on to  the bay as long as it is on a lead.

The PSPO areas will be enforced with on the spot £100 fines for breaking the following rules:

Permitting a dog to enter land from which dogs are excluded. These exclusion areas include fenced children’s play areas and Pegwell Bay mudflats and saltmarsh all year around

Exclude dogs from Minnis Bay, Viking Bay, Margate Main Sands Ramsgate Main Sands (Harbour end) from 1 May to 30 September

Ban dogs from 1 May to 30 September during the hours of 10am and 6pm on Botany Bay, Joss Bay, Louisa Bay, Stone Bay, Westbrook Bay, West Bay and St Midlred’s Bay.

Require dogs to be kept on leads; or placed on a lead if considered to be out of control upon request by authorised officers

Require dog faeces to be picked up by owners or any person in charge of the animal on any land which is open to the air to which the public have access, with or without payment

Require persons in control of dogs in a public place to have a suitable receptacle on their person to pick up their dog faeces

Keeping a dog on a lead 24 hours a day all year around in the following locations: Pegwell Bay (upper chalk shore), Ramsgate cemetery, St George’s churchyard, St Peter’s churchyard, Margate cemetery, St John’s church yard and All Saints in Birchington.

The council will publish a list of restriction free, alternative locations for dog walkers on its website.

During last night’s meeting (October 25) Conservative councillor Bob Bayford requested a review of Kingsgate beach for possible inclusion in the Summer daytime ban. In answer to questions from Cllr Peter Campbell, Cllr Fairbrass said a sign would be put on Ramsgate beach to let pet owners know which part they were excluded from.

Enforcement

Any enforcement officer can issue the PSPO on-the-spot fine/fixed penalty notice to anyone found not to be following the new rules. If unpaid, a convicted offender could be fined up to £1,000.

PSPOs may be enforced by police officers, police community safety officers and any officers designated by Thanet District Council.

A consultation on the proposals was carried out between 10 August and 2 September. The council received a total of 74 community submissions.

The PSPO come into force on November 4.

What is a PSPO?

Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPO ) propose to deal with a particular nuisance in a particular area that is having a detrimental effect on the quality of life for those in the local community. It can prohibit certain things or require specific things to be done.

An example of when a PSPO may be issued could be to help keep dogs under control within a public place such as a park. It may require that the dog is kept on a lead at all times and/or the dog is only allowed in certain areas. Alternatively, it may prohibit the consumption of alcohol in a specific place.

When deciding whether an order should be issued, the local authority must consider two things:

Firstly whether the behaviour is having a detrimental effect, or is likely to have this effect. Secondly, whether the effect/likely effect of the activities is of a persistent nature making the behaviour unreasonable and rendering the notice justified.

It can be made to apply to all people, or limited only to certain people and can be restricted to specific times. A PSPO can last no longer than 3 years but can be renewed and widened if necessary. Failure to comply with the order can result in a fine or a fixed penalty notice.

3 Comments

  1. It really annoys me with the dog ban on the beaches in summer fine but f please please make sure that the grass is mown more frequently The council will soon need to purchase a combine harvester to cut the grass especially on the Whimpey estate broadstairs you can’t even through a ball Because you will.never find it We lost 3 balls in one week We are the rate payers not visitors to the town so it’s about time we were looked after first

  2. What is the logic of allowing dogs on the beach at Walpole Bay where local residents have been working tirelessly to keep the beach clean to improve the water readings? We have an amazing asset in the Walpole Bay pool and the council are doing their utmost to undermine this by enabling dog fouling on the beach. Yes they have £100 fines but frankly how is the one dog warden going to police this beach. Utterly beyond belief…

    • As a dog owner and parent myself I despise people who allow their dogs to foul and then just leave it. They are just lazy and don’t care about others .They should be banned from having dogs as they are menaces. Also people who allow dogs who are aggressive to run wild and off the lead on pavements . Good dog owners clean up after there dogs and put them on leads where necessary, especially next to roads or around children. That being said there are not enough dog bins and those that work are not emptied. Also the grass is left to get too long causing a place for fleas and ticks. Not good for anyone.

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