Good news for dog owners as Hastings Council look to ease proposed restrictions

The council consulted on an updated dog control PSPO (public space protection order) last year. The previous PSPO ran out in 2020 and was not renewed due to COVID-19 pressures. There were more than 800 responses to the consultation, with many responses saying that they felt that the extension of the beach area where dogs must be on a lead was too big.

Cllr Judy Rogers, lead councillor for planning, governance, and community safety, said: “Thank you to everyone who took the time to respond to our consultation about this. We have listened to the comments that were made and the proposed area for the dog control PSPO has been reduced to take these comments into account. The control areas we are due to discuss are very similar to the PSPO that ran from 2017 to 2020.

“We will look to review the PSPO after it has been in place for a year. We would like people to send us their experiences about dogs – good and bad, so we can see how the PSPO is working. We know that most dog owners are responsible, but we are also aware of recent incidents which have raised the important issue of keeping residents safe where there are dogs off leads.”

Following the responses to the consultation, the dog control areas on the beach have been reduced and are now similar to the dog control PSPO which ran from 2017 to 2020 with the addition of Rock-a-Nore beach as an exclusion zone.

The main proposals to be discussed by Cabinet are:

• Dogs will be excluded from the beach from Rock-a-Nore beach to the west of the pier from 1 April to 30 September at all times. Dogs will be excluded from the beach from the east end of Warrior Square to the east ramp outside the Royal Victoria Hotel from 1 April to 30 September at all times.

• Dogs can be off the lead on the beach from the west of the pier to the east end of Warrior Square at any time and from the east ramp outside the Royal Victoria Hotel until the borough boundary at any time.

• Dogs must be on leads in the following parks from 9am to 5pm: Alexandra Park - only the section of the park between Bethune Way and Dordrecht Way; West Hill (North Side); Grosvenor open space; Gensing Gardens; Wishing Tree Road North; Linton Gardens; Bembrook open space; White Rock Gardens skate park.

• In parks and gardens without playground facilities, the dog on lead controls will be 9am to 5pm for 1 April to 30 October, and 10am to 4pm from 1 November to 31 March at weekends only

• All fixed equipped playgrounds, MUGAs and outdoor sports facilities would have Dog Exclusion areas.

• Dogs must be on a lead on the promenade at all times.

If approved, on the spot fines could be issued for anyone breaching these restrictions. Anyone not clearing dog fouling can also be fined £100.

If the PSPO is approved it will be introduced later this summer and signage will be updated across the borough to let dog owners and walkers know about the updated PSPO. Information will also be on the council’s website.

You can report dog incidents through the Report It section of the council website using your My Hastings account.

You can watch the meeting online at www.hastings.gov.uk/my-council/cm/ from 6pm on Monday 6 March. The papers for the meeting are available online at www.hastings.moderngov.co.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=130&MId=4775.

Have you read? Future of Azur restaurant and venue on St Leonards seafront is in doubt.

Have you read? Meet the woman who is opening a French bistro and wine bar on Hastings Pier.