Public Space Protection Orders (PSPO)
Arnside Parish Council is carrying out a public consultation between the 6th March and the 19th April on their proposal to put in place Public Space Protection Orders to:
exclude dogs from the memorial playing field (including children’s play ground)
keep dogs on leads at all times at the cemetery.
Thank you for your contributions.
This consultation is now closed.
The Parish Council is currently waiting for an update from SLDC on progress with the application for the PSPO. Further decisions about signage and enforcement will be made when the PSPO has been granted. Comments made concerning Arnside Knott have been passed to the National Trust
Consultation result summaries
Further information on the PSPO's in the FAQS below
What is a PSPO?
Under government legislation a PSPO (Public Space Protection Order) specifies an area where activities are taking place that are or may be detrimental to the local community’s quality of life. The PSPO can then be used to impose restrictions on the use of the area that will apply to everyone. They are designed to ensure that the law-abiding majority can enjoy public spaces, safe from anti-social behaviour.
What PSPOs are the Parish Council seeking?
Arnside Parish Council are seeking two PSPO’s one at the cemetery which requires that dogs are kept on leads at all times and one covering the whole of the memorial playing field including the sports pitches and the children’s play area which excludes dogs completely.
Playing Field Boundary
Cemetery Boundary
Is this the same as a Dog Control Order?
The Dog Control Order legislation expired in October 2017 and has been replaced by a Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) under the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014.
Have dogs always been banned from the playing field?
There has been a bylaw on the playing field that dogs must be kept under control since the 1960s at least. When the children’s play area was developed dogs were excluded from the area for the health and safety of the children using it.
Why are the Parish Council doing this now?
Although dogs were banned by the Council there was no official dog control order in place to help regulate this. The Council has been made aware of problems with dogs and dog fouling disrupting sporting events and causing distress to parents and children. The new legislation and SLDC general PSPO has given the Council the opportunity to clarify the situation and regulation concerning dogs on the playing field and in the Cemetery
What does the Council hope to achieve?
The Council has a responsibility for the health and safety of the public that use its facilities and wishes to ensure that everyone can enjoy the use of these facilities without the concern or distress that can be caused by dog fouling and dogs that are not kept under tight control.
What about responsible dog owners?
The Council recognises that the majority of dog owners are responsible and keep their dogs under control, pick up and dispose of dog waste appropriately. There are several places that dogs can be taken in Arnside and the Council is currently looking at the provision of bins to encourage responsible disposal of dog waste for owners.
Where can dogs be exercised in Arnside?
There are many footpaths and areas where dogs can be exercised in Arnside including the promenade, foreshore, public footpaths and Arnside Knott.
What about areas outside of the cemetery and playing field?
South Lakeland District Council has put a Public Space Protection Order in place that has several District wide protections that apply to all public land in South Lakeland. These protections are (paraphrased and in plain English):
Fouling – owners must remove faeces from public land
Leads by Order – owners must comply with an order from an enforcement officer to place and keep a dog on a lead
Means to pick up – owners must have appropriate means to pick up dog faeces
Limit on the number of dogs that can be walked at a time – owners must not walk more than five dogs at any one time
What if you ignore a PSPO?
PSPOs only apply to public land. If you ignore a PSPO, you can be fined, £100 on the spot (a Fixed Penalty Notice) or up to £1,000 if it goes to court. You can’t be fined if you’re a registered blind dog owner.
Where can I get further information?
Arnside Parish Council Website for maps, questionnaires, contact details, details of events http://www.arnsidepc.org.uk
Government PSPO information https://www.gov.uk/guidance/control-dogs#pspo
Reporting dog fouling https://www.southlakeland.gov.uk/your-environment/dogs/dog-fouling/