Agenda item

Report of the Director of Open Spaces (Copy attached).

The Committee considered a report of the Director of Open Spaces that advised Members on the success in achieving Secondary Authority status for the control of dogs.

The Director of Open Spaces advised that the City had recently acquired secondary authority status, which meant it could enforce stricter dog control orders. This would be trialled in Burnham Beeches, and could be considered for use in Hampstead Heath. The Home Office was currently drafting a White Paper that proposed abolishing the status. Ian Harrison commended the City’s obtainment of secondary authority status and advised that the measures should be used constructively on the Heath and well publicised.

The Chairman advised that, due to an erroneous internal memo, during a recent interview with the Ham and High he had advised that the City had failed in its attempt to acquire secondary authority status. This was not so.

In response to a query from Mary Port, the Director advised that the definition of an out of control dog was for the courts to decide.

RECEIVED