Fury over dog mess left on Cockfield recreation area

IRRESPONSIBLE dog owners in a dale village could face fines of up to £1,000 if they refuse to clean up after their pets.
Fed up parish councillors in Cockfield have asked for the village’s recreation area to be covered by a new county-wide public spaces protection order (PSPO) for dog control.
Durham County Council is currently consulting on plans to introduce a PSPO to cover all its play areas.
Under the proposals, the only areas in Teesdale which would be covered by the new order are The Avenue, Stainton Grove, and Scar Top, Barnard Castle.
However, Cockfield’s parish clerk Phil Howard told members he had received an email from County Hall asking if there was anywhere in the village that members thought should be included.
Councillors unanimously agreed that the recreation area should be covered due to the high level of dog fouling.
At their October meeting, Cllr Chrsitine Watters told how during the summer, organisers from the Gaunless Valley Creatives holiday club, based at the Pauline Charlton Sports Pavilion, had picked up ten bags of dog faeces from the adjacent football field before it was fit for use by children.
Furious Cllr Neville Singleton warned: “The day will come when all dogs will be banned from the rec.
“All we ask people to do is pick up after their dogs. We have even cut the other field to encourage them to take their dogs there.
“This is a recreation ground and it’s a matter of hygiene.”
Among the facilities at the recreation ground are a football pitch and adjacent field, a skateboard park, multi-use games area and play area for younger children.
Cllr Singleton said even when dog owners did pick up their pet’s mess, some would fling the bags over a wall into the former bowling green rather than walk just a few yards further to the bin.
Cllr Watters said the situation at the recreation field may improve once security cameras are installed at the sports pavilion.
The parish has secured nearly £3,000 from local county councillors Heather Smith and Andy Turner to cover the cost of CCTV equipment.
“When we start to monitor the situation, that should move things forward,” said Cllr Watters.
Following the introduction of the 2014 anti-social behaviour, crime and policing act, the new PSPO proposed by Durham County Council will replace the dog control order which is currently in force across the county.
Officials say the new legislation will extend the authority’s powers on dog control.
Under the PSPO is will be an offence to allow a dog to foul without picking up the faeces, allow a dog to stray and fail to put a dog on a lead when asked to by an authorised officer.
It will also be an offence to allow dogs into fenced off play areas.
Police and trained council officers will have the power to issue £100 fixed penalty notices, however, the maximum penalty is £1,000.
County officials say the new order will help reduce the dog fouling menace, reduce the number of stray dogs, give better control of dogs in public areas and make play areas safer and more welcoming.
The consultation on the proposed new PSPO continues until Monday, December 5. Full details are available online at www.durham.gov.uk