Dog owners may keep right to go walkies in Hotham Park

Councillors have recommended scrapping a proposed bylaw to ban dogs without leads in the open space.

The committee also decided against creating a dog exclusion zone in the park's boating lake area in favour of making it compulsory for dogs to be kept on leads there.

They also rejected a suggestion of banning a person from walking more than six dogs.

The unanimous decisions among the 11 members of Arun District Council's policy development scrutiny committee have to be accepted by all councillors on September 2 before the bylaw can come into force.

But the outcome was popular with about 40 dog owners from Bognor who attended the committee's meeting.

They applauded the Hotham Park votes. Their spokeswoman, a relieved Hotham Park Heritage Trust spokeswoman Rosemary Warren, said: "Thank you very much chairman, and thank you committee."

The council members spent nearly two hours debating how best to control dogs without unfairly penalising responsible owners.

Mrs Warren had told them the park was the only open area in which Bognor town-centre residents could walk their pets throughout the year. But their presence also benefited the council.

"The dog walkers care about the park and they are the eyes and ears to protect it from the many unsavoury goings-on.

"Dog walkers are in the park at some time during each day. Without them, the park would become a no-go area for the most vulnerable who would feel unsafe and unable to enjoy its new status."

She added she had never seen a dangerous incident involving a dog and a person in more than 30 years of visiting the park.

A Bognor Marine councillor, Andrew Evans, a dog owner for 26 years in the town, told the committee it would be a backward step if the ban on dogs running around became law.

Paul Wells, whose Hotham ward covers the park, said: "The park is there for everybody to use. That's what the council needs to be clear on when making decisions about dogs on leads. We should listen to the public. They have spoken."

The committee chairman, Jacqueline Maconachie, said its members had to take account of the public's views against putting dogs on a lead in most of the park.

Those opposing it during the council's consultation were 452, with 21 also against but willing to compromise, compared with 160 in support.

"If we consult people, and they are kind enough to make the effort to respond and it's overwhelming, and then, for whatever reason, an extremely unfortunate decision may be made totally opposite to that view, how on earth do we intend to engage with the general public when we need to in the future?" she asked.

Barbara Oakley, a committee member, said: "We need to look at the problem '“ which is not the dogs but their owners."

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