Beach dog owners face on-spot fine
DOG owners who break the laws at the seaside in Port Talbot will be hit with spot fines as part of a tough new stand.
Beach bosses are declaring the Aberavon seafront a dog control area — doing away with the cumbersome and costly system which involves having to take offenders to court.
Neath Port Talbot Council is using the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005 to give wardens the power to dispense instant punishments, which could be as high as £75 a time.
Existing bylaws in force mean that, from May 1 to September 30, dogs are banned from certain areas of the beach and must be kept on leads while being walked on the promenade.
Head of legal and democratic services David Michael said: "Any person caught offending against the bylaws is currently dealt with through the courts. This obviously has a huge resource implication, with officers having to produce prosecution files for all cases.
"The courts and many defendants too have also previously and consistently inquired as to whether a system of fixed penalty notices could be introduced, thus avoiding the necessity for a court appearance."
Mr Michael will ask councillors to approve the new approach during a meeting of the environment and highways cabinet board on Friday.
He said fixed penalties had been used successfully to deal with many waste enforcement offences — using officers' time effectively and efficiently, allowing them to deal with other enforcement matters.
Head of streetcare services Mike Roberts said the minimum fine the council could apply was £75, but it could impose a higher rate of not more than £150, along with a reduction for early payment.
"In order to keep the fine in line with other fixed penalty offences it is proposed the fixed penalty fine be set at £75 and reduced to £50 if settlement is made within 10 days of the notice being served," he added.
paul.lewis@swwmedia.co.uk
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by Peter, Margam
Tuesday, March 09 2010, 8:15PM
“Pity they can't extend it to the streets of Port Talbot also. Any offenders who walk dogs & leave their mess behind should face an instant fine or jail! My street is in a shameful state with dog mess everywhere again. Our playing fields are polluted with it. our cycle paths, the pavements... Why are they allowed to get away with it? Please NPT co boro co, make an example of the one or two that you DO catch anywhere.”
by Runner, Swansea
Sunday, January 17 2010, 12:33PM
“Steve, neath, glad to hear that someone else realises that extending leads are a complete menace. Another Runner: being fit enough to jump over leads is not the point, I can, but I shouldn't have to. If I wanted an obstacle course I'd go off road. Lorna, you're the moron if you think you can speak for all dog owners. There are plenty who let their leads sprawl all over the promenade without giving a toss about anyone else.”
by Rob, Swansea
Saturday, January 16 2010, 3:29PM
“Shawn Michaels, Sandfields, absolutely brilliant mate! say it as it is, the worrying thing is, what you said isn't far from the truth, well done, you've got my vote.”
by steve, neath
Friday, January 15 2010, 11:26PM
“regarding retractable leads,
A friend of mine was cycling home from work across a cycle track in skewen one evening just before christmas,some idiot was walking on one side of the cycle track with his dog on the other side and a retractable lead across the middle of the cycle track,in the dark!
my friend tried to go through the middle not seeing the lead in the dark and came off his bike and ended up in a+e in morriston with a badly broken hand and severe bruising,four weeks off work struggling to pay bills because of some brain dead moron with no thought for anyone else.
Everybody he's told has been laughing but he could easily have fractured his skull,broken a leg or worse ,it's not the dogs that's the problem it's the owners”
by Andrew, Veliko Turnovo .. Bulgaria
Friday, January 15 2010, 8:38PM
“Ah well Years ago it would have mattered , Who would want to tread in dog poo , I remember as a kid having to avoid , well I will be honest now I remember asking my father 'dad what is that my dad would say its a form of sea weed ' it was a used condom Aberafan beach has always been a sh....t hole and if there is dog poooo its only the stupid people in the who allow thier dogs to well well I dunno”