West Northamptonshire Council to consider new dog controls

Additional dog controls are to be considered by West Northamptonshire Council.

The council will next week (19 September) review the public spaces protection order (PSPO) that is currently in place in Daventry and South Northants areas, with a view to it also covering Northampton area. If approved, the new order will come into force on 3 October 2023 and run until October 2025.

The PSPO, which will restrict a person from walking more than four dogs at any one time in a public open space, could also see people in control of dogs fined £100 if they fail to:

• pick up dog’s mess and dispose of it properly.
• carry the means to pick up after a dog.
• prevent the dog from entering public places from which dogs are excluded, including children’s play areas, schools, skateparks, tennis courts, multi-use games areas, and bowling greens.
• keep the dog on a lead when in Northampton Town Centre, Upton Country Park Phase 2 (the land between Kislingbury and Upton), cemeteries, burial sites, graveyards, memorial gardens, allotments, car parks, sports grounds, fields and pitches – when in use for authorised sporting activity.
• put the dog on a lead when asked to do so by an authorised officer.

Councillor David Smith, the council’s Cabinet Member for community safety and engagement and regulatory services, said: “The PSPO gives the council the ability to ensure that the public can use and enjoy these public spaces and will help to make West Northamptonshire a better and safer place to live and work.”

For more information about the public space protection orders and to view the draft order click here.