West Sussex council consults on new dog controls

Chichester District Council is reviewing the rules for dogs in public spaces and will be holding a public consultation.

The consultation will give residents, community groups, and businesses the opportunity to comment on the council’s proposal to extend and amend the council’s Public Space Protection Order (PSPO), which would run for three years from October 2026.

Under the current and proposed PSPO, it is an offence in public places to fail to remove dog mess immediately; to not put and keep a dog on a lead when instructed by an authorised officer; and to allow a dog to enter an area where dogs are excluded, such as some parks and play areas and, during the summer period, a section of Selsey beach. Public places include areas such as footpaths and verges, parks, and the foreshore.

The council is proposing to continue all of these rules for a further three years, from October 2026 until October 2029, with a small number of additions. Under the current PSPO, the requirements to immediately remove dog mess and to keep a dog on a lead when directed apply only to public land. The council is proposing to extend these rules to all publicly accessible areas in the district, including privately-owned land, where no fee has to be paid to enter and excluding Forestry Commission land.

The council is proposing to continue all existing dog exclusion areas, and to extend these rules to include all privately-owned fenced children’s play areas as year-round exclusion zones. The current PSPO includes only fenced play areas on public land under these rules.

Although not included in the proposals for the 2026 to 2029 PSPO, the council is exploring whether dog control measures may be needed in certain locations within the Chichester Harbour Area in the future — for example, requiring dogs to be kept on leads or introducing dog exclusion zones. This follows evidence that dogs running off‑lead can disturb protected bird species, which can contribute to their decline. People can share their views on this potential future consideration through the consultation.

Tom Day, Divisional Manager for Environment and Health Protection, said: “We want to make sure that everyone — with or without dogs — can safely enjoy the many beautiful public spaces we have in our district.”

He added: “This consultation is a chance for people to share their thoughts on our proposals, and we are keen to hear a wide range of views. It takes just 5 to 10 minutes to complete our quick survey, and people can choose to respond only to the aspects that interest them.”

The consultation will go live on Friday 8 May and will close at 5pm on Friday 5 June 2026. People will be able to take part on the Let’s Talk: Dogs consultation page, where they can also find a list of frequently asked questions to help explain the order and provide context. People can request a paper copy of the questionnaire by emailing: letstalk@chichester.gov.uk.