Wepre Park: Angling club petition to ban dogs from around the Rosie

An angling club’s petition to see dogs banned from the lake area of a Flintshire country park is to be considered next month.

At a full meeting of Flintshire Council earlier this year Connah’s Quay South Cllr Bill Crease (Ind) handed in a petition on behalf of Connah’s Quay Angling Club, the voluntary community group based at Rosie lake, Wepre Park.

They are calling for dogs to be banned from certain areas around the lake, as dog fouling is blighting the enjoyment of anglers, walkers and community groups using the facilities.

The angling club manages the facilities on the council owned land.

The lake is known nationally as a premier angling destination, attracting anglers from all over the country and in the last few years funding has been secured to make the Rosie accessible for all.

Presenting the petition at the meeting in January, Cllr Crease said: “All of these environmental, security, safety and wellbeing improvements are being put at risk by a few inconsiderate dog walkers.

“Sadly irresponsible owners who refuse to clean up after their animals are creating a significant health risk to users of the facility and casual walkers.

“The club’s efforts to engage the very youngest children in an outdoor, open air, healthy pursuit has also been thwarted by health and safety risks to this young vulnerable group”, he said.
Cllr Crease added that routes for less able walkers are “marred with dog muck”.

He called for the gated and fenced area around the Rosie to be included in any current or future Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) to prohibit dogs from entering at any time.

A PSPO deals with a particular nuisance that affects the local community’s quality of life, by imposing conditions on the use of an area which apply to everyone and some breaches can lead to a £75 fine.

Petitions are made at full council meetings throughout the year, with responses provided at the last full council meeting of the year – the annual general meeting takes place next week on Thursday, May 4.

According to the council’s response contained in the agenda pack for next week’s meeting, the matter will be taken up by the environment scrutiny committee next month.

This is with a view to a public consultation being held this summer if councillors on the committee feel there could be merit in a ban.

The council’s response reads: “The access and natural environment manager has written to the angling club to inform them that officers had considered the petition, and will request the environment and economy overview and scrutiny committee to consider an amendment to the PSPO at their May meeting to prohibit dogs from the fenced area at the Rosie.

“Should the environment and economy overview and scrutiny committee agree that the ban should be considered it will then be put to a public consultation, likely to be held in the summer.

“The results of the consultation will inform cabinet on their decision to include the amendment or not.”
By Rory Sheehan – Local Democracy Reporter (more here).