East Sussex council hopes to extend dog controls

Wealden District Council, in East Sussex, is seeking to extend its existing Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO), which makes it an offence not to pick up dog waste in public areas under the Antisocial Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014.

The current PSPO expires on November 20, 2026, and the proposed extension would continue for a further three years.

The existing order only requires those on control of dogs to remove faeces immediately and dispose of it in a suitable bin, failure to remove dog waste can result in a fixed penalty notice of £75, which must be paid within 14 days to avoid prosecution.

If the PSPO is not extended, the council will lose its enforcement powers related to dog fouling.

A council report recommends that a public consultation be launched as the next step in the process.

A decision is set to be made on 30 April.