A new Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) relating to dog control will come into force on Saturday, 1 July 2023 following approval at Full Council.
The order which is in place for a period of 3 years, applies to all of the islands except Tresco and empowers the Council to issue fixed penalty notices to anyone in charge of a dog who, without a valid exemption:
- fails to remove and suitably dispose of the dog’s faeces on land covered by the order
- permits a dog to enter an exclusion zone in a designated area
- fails to put and keep a dog on a lead in specified designated areas
- fails to put and keep a dog on a lead when directed to do so by an authorised officer
You can read the new PSPO in full on the dog control page of our website.
The new PSPO is an extension of the existing order which is due to lapse on 30 June 2023 and features one amendment which was informed by a public consultation carried out in March 2023. This amendment is the inclusion of the land adjacent to the Tourist Information Centre, locally known as Porthcressa Garden, as a seasonal exclusion zone. Signs have been placed at the entrance to the Porthcressa Garden area to notify the public of the change to the order.
The public consultation and the new PSPO reflect Councillors’ Corporate Plan 2022-26 commitment to: ‘tackling public nuisance issues, such as excessive noise and dog fouling by working with the community and considering restrictions and enforcement options where necessary.’
Cllr Marcus, Lead Member for Planning and Regulatory Services said: “I’d like to thank everyone who responded to the public consultation and enabled Members to approve the new PSPO with confidence that it will benefit the community at large. One of the strongest themes to emerge from the consultation, was the desire for particular outdoor public spaces, in which children play and food is regularly consumed during the summer season, to be free from health hazards such as dog mess. However, regardless of the PSPO – and as a dog owner myself - I would like to remind everyone that it is the responsibility of anyone in control of a dog to be aware when their animals must be kept on a lead for the protection of the public, livestock and wildlife, and to always pick up after them.”