PSPO across West Northants renewed
A crackdown on anti-social behaviour, including smoking and dog control, has been renewed
A crackdown on anti-social behaviour, including smoking and dog control, has been renewed following approval by West Northamptonshire Council’s (WNC) Cabinet.
The decision comes after residents were invited to share their views on the existing policy and proposals to extend the area the rules apply to.
Between 2018 and 2024, WNC received 4,939 complaints about dog fouling and dog control issues. Northamptonshire Police also reported 155 dog attacks within West Northants between October 2021 and November 2022.
The Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) was first introduced in October 2022. It gives the Council additional powers to ensure owners are looking after their pets in a responsible manner in public and reduce exposure to second-hand smoke and its associated litter.
People are liable for a fine of up to £100 if they fail to immediately pick up after their dog, do not put their dog on a lead when requested by an authorised officer, or if they are walking more than four dogs at one time- unless they hold a licence to breed or provide dog day care services.
Pets must also be kept on a lead in cemeteries, memorial gardens, allotments, public car parks, sports grounds and pitches, land at Daventry Country Park, Northampton Town Centre, and Phase 2 of Upton Country Park (land between Kislingbury and Upton which flanks the river Nene).
Owners have also been banned from taking their dog into children’s play areas, educational institutions when in use by pupils, skateparks, tennis courts, multi-use games areas and bowling greens. Smoking tobacco, electronic cigarettes, herbal cigarettes or any illegal substances is also prohibited in these areas under the protection order.
These requirements are already in place across the whole of West Northants. The PSPO has also been further extended, so dogs must now be kept on leads at all times in a lakeside area of St James Park lake, Brackley, and the Unit 1 Gravel Pits, which is a Special Protection Area between Northampton and Thorpe Waterville.
‘Could be caught at any point’
Discussing the Order at the Cabinet meeting last Thursday (September 18), Cllr Daniel Lister, leader of the West Northants Conservatives, asked how the rules were going to be enforced and if there was enough staffing to cover an expanded area.
Cllr Andrew Last, Cabinet member for HR and Corporate Services, said that there were 12 wardens employed by WNC on top of further staff employed under the Kingdom environmental enforcement contract, who are able to patrol all green spaces across West Northants.
He added: “These PSPOs are deterrents- they’re not going to wipe out all irresponsible behaviour and I think we have to accept that the vast majority of dog owners are responsible people.
“We have to be realistic with the resources that we have versus making sure that at least dog owners believe there is a deterrent there and they could be caught at any point in time.”
A public consultation held over the summer received 435 responses, with most in agreement to continue the existing PSPO and expand it to the locations in Brackley and the Gravel Pits.
The renewed order will now remain in place until October 2028.