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Council commits to measures set up to keep the district a safe, clean and green living environment

News release issued:

Measures that help keep the district a safe, clean and green living environment are to be extended for a further three years following a public consultation earlier in the year.

Wyre Forest District Council’s Cabinet voted in favour of renewing three Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs) at a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday 7 July after overwhelming support from local residents.

More than 1,400 residents had their say in May and June after a series of online surveys were launched by Wyre Forest District Council.

One survey asked residents to comment on extending the district-wide dog control order. 98% of survey respondents agreed that enforcement officers should continue having powers to make sure a person in charge of a dog cleans up after it and 93% felt dog walkers who don’t have the means to clean up after their dog should face a fine.

Respondents also felt dogs should still be kept on leads in Kidderminster Cemetery (90%) and QEII Gardens/Jubilee Gardens, Bewdley (73%). A majority supported keeping measures to exclude dogs from specified areas (92%), play areas (99%) and Brinton Park splash pad (95%).

There was overwhelming support for introducing a new limit on the number of dogs someone can walk at one time. 73% of respondents said this should be a maximum of three or fewer dogs. There was also support for new restrictions requiring dogs to be on a lead in the immediate areas surrounding Stackpool in Springfield Park (54%) and Hurcott Pool (51%).

Proposals set out in two separate surveys on street drinking in Bewdley and Stourport town centres also received overwhelming support from the public. 90% completing the Bewdley survey and 93% of respondents completing the Stourport survey were in favour of authorised council officers, police officers and police community support officers continuing to have powers to require a person drinking alcohol in public to surrender it. The majority also backed proposals to keep alcohol consumption in a public place causing a nuisance in Bewdley (92%) and Stourport (91%) listed as an offence which may result in a £100 fine.

Results of all three surveys were set out in a report which was discussed by members of the council’s Cabinet. Cabinet approved the extension of all three PSPOs for a further three years and agreed to introduce new restrictions to the dog control order; limiting the number of dogs someone can walk at one time to a maximum of three and keeping a dog on a lead at Stackpool and Hurcott Pool. The orders will now run until October 2023.

Councillor Helen Dyke, Wyre Forest District Council’s cabinet member for culture, leisure and community protection said: “We are delighted with the response we’ve had to these consultations. The responses we’ve received helped us make our decision to keep all three Public Spaces Protection Orders in place for a further three years and introduce new offences to our dog control order.

“Next year we will be consulting on street drinking in Kidderminster and I look forward to hearing what residents have to say as we continue working hard to keep the district a safe, clean and green living environment.”

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