First fine is issued in Bognor in crackdown on dog fouling

The individual was issued with the £80 fixed penalty notice and quickly paid up.

The offence took place in a park in the town.

It is among the fouling hotspots to be patrolled by environmental enforcement officers from specialist firm Kingdom Security in a four-month pilot by Arun District Council.

Some 25-30 residents and business-owners in the areas which are being patrolled have been spoken to by the officers.

They have reported their presence in areas such as Hotham Park and Steyne Gardenshas has been overwhelmingly welcomed.

Paul Dendle, Arun’s cabinet member for environmental services, said: “The response the enforcement officers have received towards the scheme so far is extremely encouraging.But it seems a small minority of irresponsible dog-owners are currently givinig all dog owners a bad name.

“Many dog-owners the officers spoke to in the past week are keen to improve the environment in which they exercise their pets and help the council make the district a safer place for everyone to use and enjoy.

“I would encourage these responsible dog owners to tell the council if they spot irresponsible behaviour 
from others.”

The firmer approach to tackling problem dog fouling was launched ten days ago.

As reported, councillors agreed to spend £20,700 on the scheme in response to public concerns about treading in excrement and the danger it can cause blindness in youngsters if it comes into contact with their eyes.

Kingdom Security’s officers have been patrolling the streets and parks of the district, tasked with issuing fixed penalty notices to anyone who breaches laws around dog fouling, littering and dog control.

The trial is backed by Sussex Police who have made PCs and PCSOs available to issue the notices.

Responsible dog-owners who spot others letting their dogs foul without cleaning up the mess can contact the council’s parks team about the matter.

They need to provide as much information as possible. This should include the time and location of the offence as well as descriptions of the owner and the dog.

The facts should be emailed to [email protected] or phoned to 01903 737955.