Village park dogs on leads 'rule'

[ohhello]

Hi there,
We have a huge village park and today a sign has gone up from the village committee saying dogs must stay on leads. Obviously I'm not letting the dog go near the children's play area and pick up his poo, but do they have the authority to stop me walking him off lead? I'm lightly annoyed!

What grounds have they got? How are they going to enforce it? Have there been complaints or incidences of dogs being a nuisance? Sounds a bit militarian.

For the village committee suddenly to decided, without any consultation with residents, that dogs must be on lead is very draconian. I think, in your shoes, I'd be asking some questions of the committee. For a start do they have the power to make this decision? Isn't that for the local council to decide, or am I underestimating the committees powers?

What are they going to do if you let your dog off the lead? Surely they can't impose sanctions e.g. fines. Sounds to me as if they're getting a bit above themselves.

Might be an idea to make some calls and speak to someone in the parks department of the local council and asked what's going on here.

I'd be really upset if I had to keep my dog on the lead in my country park as it's one of the few places she can really have a good run.

You say the park is huge OP, so if they do have the power to do this, it might be an idea to suggest that a part of the park is fenced off as a dedicated dog park.

There's one near where I used to live and no one ever used the rest of the park for their dogs, which mean't the rest of the park was free of pooh.

Much better all round really, as unfortunately so many owners don't pick up.
Could this be the reason behind the ban, do you think?

Is it a committee or parish council?

Our parish council made this rule and afaik they have the right to do this, like a bylaw? There are official council signs up saying dogs on leads.

It's not enforced and most people ignore the rule.

That should be free of poo.

Although there were no bears there either.

Who owns the park if its owned by the parish council they can change the rules. I would presume that it would be discussed and agreed at the parish council meeting prior to the signs going up. Check out meeting minutes they should be publicly available.

Our parish council has just done this in one of our local parks , I don't use it ( except to walk through) so it doesn't affect me ,I don't know whether it will be enforced but there is CCTV so it will be interesting to see what happens .

Both Local Authorities and Parish Councils can enforce Public Space Protection Orders (formerly Dog Control Orders) on any publicly owned land and have been able to do so since 2005:

"any land which is open to the air and to which the public are entitled or permitted to have access"

Defra booklet re Dog Control Orders.

It's worth noting that they have to inform dog owners in advance of the control order coming into force though.

"If the council plans to put a new PSPO in place, it must put up a notice and publish it in a local newspaper and on its website.

The notice must tell you:

where the new PSPO will apply, if there’s a map and where you can see it"

Public Spaces Protection Orders.

To challenge a PSPO once in place you have to go to the High Court within six weeks.

There's a bit more info on this site.

Another good site for Dog Law info.

Some cities are banning dogs from multiple parks and open spaces and other's have enforced blanket, 'all dogs on leads when on any public/council owned property' orders. Sadly there is no onus on them to provide alternative areas for off-lead walks, even if they enforce on-lead only across the whole city.