Councillors have thrown their support behind the new public space protection orders (PSPOs) but questioned how it could be properly enforced.
The new PSPOs are set for approval today (Thursday) by the Isle of Wight Council’s cabinet and will make the control of dogs and drinking in public spaces more enforceable.
Restrictions being introduced relate to dogs on leads in cemeteries and fenced children’s play areas, with a new area included keeping dogs on leads at St Helens revetment.
More than 1,000 people responded to the council’s consultations on the proposed orders, with the majority in favour.
Councillors at the Isle of Wight Council’s corporate scrutiny committee meeting this week blamed bad owners rather than bad dogs and agreed it was a fine balance between keeping the Island as a dog-friendly destination for tourism but also respecting the views of others.
Cllr Debbie Andre said she felt the Island needed a bespoke plan for dogs orders and was concerned over the blanket ban of dogs on certain beaches over the summer. She suggested timeframes over the summer period when the beaches are empty that dogs could be allowed onto the beach. She said:
“We cannot underestimate the tourism being a dog-friendly Island]brings. As a dog owner, I don’t actually go on beaches when it is busy because it is too much hassle.
“I would have like to have seen something that didn’t go quite so far as banning dogs on the beaches over the summer.”
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Cabinet member for community safety, Cllr Gary Peace said:
“It is not our intention to force extra controls onto anybody on this Island.
“I fully appreciate we are a dog-friendly Island, that is where a lot of our tourism comes from and I don’t want to be restricting myself from walking my dog on the beach, let alone anyone else.”
Questions were raised about how the rules were going to be enforced but Cllr Peace said nothing would change from the way the current orders are being enforced. He said:
“We don’t have the limitless numbers of enforcement officers walking around. Unfortunately, it is down to people making reports, a little bit of peer pressure and education.
When going to a vote, Cllr Andre didn’t support the paper, Cllr Julie Jones-Evans abstained but all other members of the committee voted in favour.
Ban dogs on the beach all the time, some people let there dogs come on the beach and they let them continue to bark all the time one lady has three dogs and let’s them bark on sandown for an hour every morning. Has no consideration for people who live by the sea front
Get a life
There is a nice secluded beach between the sailing club at Gurnard and Gurnard Luck; -but don’t take your kids there..
It ought to be re-named Dog Mess Bay or Piles Beach, for obvious reasons.
Respectable dog owners pick their dogs mess up so there shouldn’t be any piles down there
Is it not already a nation wide requirement that dogs must be on a lead in public places. Like many issues these days it’s lack of enforcement that’s the problem.
No it’s not
Pointless making “more enforceable” rules when there will be no attempt whatsoever to enforce them, more hot air from IWC.
Can’t help being a little bewildered. Going by this article and responses, seems dogs are now more offensive than drunks in public. Know which of the two I’d most like to avoid.
Where does it say, to live on Isle of Wight, must be a dog owner ?? Seems so many dogs.. I like the one that says RESPECTABLE dog owners… I have yet to meet one.. just one.. that will not say F OFF when approached… Last summer I mentioned to a respectable looking dog owner, that dogs were not permitted on that beach, at that time, His first words were as mentioned, then he said go mind my own business… ! What has more rights, people or dogs.. Mind my own business?? I live here, the Island is my business…
I do not like them on the beaches at all, sea water is not good for them.. there are not many places with shelter from sun or fresh water and no place for a toilet…they smell bad if been in water, but the owners still walk them around other people, no respect. The constant barking is awful, why can they not put a law that says when dogs are outside they must be muzzled ?
I expect it’s your attitude when approaching people.
You should never muzzle a dog because 1 it can’t drink and 2 it can’t defend itself if it’s attacked by another dog and 3 not all dog ownrs are like the one you have mentioned
What a Stupid comment. You Obviously know nothing about Dogs. Are you that dense that you think a dog having to wear a muzzle would not bark.. Sounds like you need to get a life!!
Keep dogs off beaches, the rich think it is fun for their hound to jump all over you, and say ‘He just wants to say hello’, and the poor just allow them to poo, attack and fight with other dogs.
ALL dogs should be kept on a lead IF in any public place now. The Island is too crowded for the freedom they once had, when there were less people and less dogs about.
WAIT until P enny F eathers is built, imagine the extra amount of dogs AND people then adding to the misery.
If the Councillors want it, let them go out and try and enforce it, then they may well earn the money they get paid already.
PUBLIC SPACE PROTECTION ORDERS will be the thin end of the wedge for power hungry politicians