Agenda item

Report of the Superintendent of Burnham Beeches, Stoke Common and City Commons.

The Committee considered the report of the Superintendent which sought approval to proceed to the statutory consultation phase for the introduction of Dog Control Orders (DCO’s) at Burnham Beeches National Nature Reserve, using the powers provided under Secondary Authority status.

Members were informed that in 2010 the City entered into an agreement with the Kennel Club to guide the management of responsible dog ownership on the Open Spaces. In recognition of that agreement the Superintendent had met with the Kennel Club to discuss and develop proposals to introduce DCO’s at Burnham Beeches. The Director of Open Spaces and Superintendent attended a further meeting with the Kennel Club in December 2013.

A Member Working Group was formed to review the comments submitted by

the Kennel Club in January 2014. Membership consisted of the following:

• Verderer Peter Adams

• Deputy Stanley Ginsburg

• Sylvia Moys

• Deputy Alexander Deane

Members discussed the Kennel Club’s points in detail and challenged Officers on the key issues. Revisions to the final document were then undertaken. The

outcomes of the working group’s deliberations were supported by three of the four working group members. Comments provided by Deputy Alexander Deane were circulated in the agenda. Comments made by Alderman Luder were also made available to Members of the Committee.

Since the Superintendent’s report of November 2013 the informal public consultation process, conducted by Footprint Ecology, had concluded. A total

of 359 visitors were interviewed. The ‘headline’ results were:

Schedule 1.Failure to remove dog faeces. The large majority of

interviewees supported the introduction of Schedule 1 across the whole site.

Schedule 2.Failure to keep a dog on a lead in an area so designated.

The introduction of Schedule 2 was supported by the majority of interviewees

across 50% of the site or less.

Schedule 3. Failure to put and keep a dog on a lead when directed to do

so by an authorised officer. The introduction of Schedule 3 was supported

by a large majority of interviewees across 50% or more of the site.

Schedule 4.Permitting a dog to enter land from which dogs are

excluded. This was supported by a minority (37%) of interviewees.

Schedule 5. Taking more than a specified number of dogs on to the

land. This Schedule was supported by the large majority of interviewees with

3 being the favoured maximum number followed very closely by 4.

The following proposal was based on the informal public consultation exercise

and recommendation of the Burnham Beeches Consultation Group:

Schedule 1. This schedule will be applied across the whole site.

Schedule 2. To be applied to approximately 59% of the site.

Schedule 3. To be applied to approximately 41% of the site.

Schedule 4. No new dog exclusion zones will be created. Dogs will continue

to be excluded from a small area around the café, as existing.

Schedule 5. The proposed maximum is 3 dogs per owner.

Members noted that the areas covered by Schedules 2 and 3 did not exactly

match the findings from the visitor survey, albeit they were as close as

practicable (within 10% - 40acres) to that ideal.

Members were informed that DCO’s offer additional controls and a more flexible approach to enforcement compared to the byelaws. Officers informed Members that this exercise provided a rare opportunity to establish a proper balance between the needs of the many site users and the statutory requirement to enhance biodiversity.

In response to a query, Officers stated that the Dog Control Orders report was a bespoke report for the Burnham Beeches area alone. It would not be appropriate to use this report as a template to design future Dog Control Orders in areas such as Epping Forest, due to the differing characteristics of each of the open spaces owned by the City. Officers assured the Committee that the Dog Control Orders work at Burnham Beeches would only be used as a guide for other sites insofar as estimating future timescales and cost implications.

Members queried whether introducing such orders would cause displacement of dog owners, and whether irresponsible dog owners would obey such orders. Officers informed the Committee that Natural England were not concerned that the introduction of Dog Control Orders would cause displacement.

Officers assured members that the Rangers would be appropriately trained and equipped to enforce dog control orders in a low key but effective manner andensure irresponsible dog owners kept their dog(s) on a lead in designated areas. Members agreed that the City Corporation had a responsibility to ensure their open spaces could be enjoyed  equally by all site users  

Further discussion took place regarding the proposed maximum number of dogs per owner. Officers summarised the level of support during the survey for both 3 and 4 dogs was similar, that the Consultative group had considered 3 appropriate but it was generally understood that they would be content if it was increased to 4.

The Chairman expressed his gratitude to all Members and Officers for their hard work and tenacity in producing this report.

Resolved: That Members:

• noted the outcome of the recently completed informal consultation

process.

• considered the deliberations of the Dog Control Orders Working Group as part of their decision making process

• gave their approval to commence the statutory DCO consultation process in spring 2014 based on the proposals contained within this report.

• determined that Schedule 5, the proposed maximum number of dogs per owner should be 4

• requested that the Superintendent provide a final report to this Committee in July 2014 for Members to consider the representations received and to decide whether

or not to make the proposed Dog Control Orders.