Dog control orders could be removed from Shotton Lane ’33 club’ playing field following Town Council vote

Dog owners in Shotton could get the full use of a popular playing field back if a town council bid to ‘opt out’ of recently enforced dog control orders is successful.

Members of Shotton Town Council have voted in favour to opt the ’33 club’ playing fields out of the controversial Public Space Protection Orders (PSPO) which were brought in across Flintshire last October.

As part of the recently introduced control orders dogs are now excluded from entering marked sports pitches, owners ‘caught’ allowing their pets onto a pitch could be handed a £75 fixed penalty notice by the council’s enforcers, failure to pay within 14 days could lead to a fine of £1000.

The move has left the many responsible dog owners who use the 33 club playing field, so-called as it was gifted to the people of Shotton in 1933, squeezed for space as a new kids play area and a football pitch take up much of the public area.

Dog walkers have effectively been left with a thin strip of land around the perimeter of the football pitch to exercise their pets.

Councillors now want the threat of a £75 fixed penalty notice removed for those who want to exercise their dogs on the marked football pitch, though they want to retain Flintshire council’s outsourced enforcement agency Kingdom Security to take action against owners who allow their dogs to foul anywhere on the park.

Andrew Farrow, Flintshire County Council’s Chief Officer for Planning and Environment said; “Flintshire County Council are aware of Shotton Town Council’s recent decision with regard to the Dog Control PSPO conditions at the Shotton Club playing field and following due consideration will formally respond to the request made.”

A spokesperson from Shotton Town Council warned that the PSPO is still in place until further notice; “Until we get confirmation back from the County Council that the PSPO conditions have been lifted residents should not take any chances.”

Hawarden Community Council were successful in a request to have Gladstone Playing Fields excluded from the PSPO’s prior to last October’s countywide ‘roll out’ – due to the nature of events held on the field which included festivals and dog shows.

A Hawarden Community Council spokesperson said ‘We do not experience excessive problems with dog fouling at this venue as the users are very responsible.’