A Freedom of information request has revealed that the number of complaints about dog fouling rose for the first time for 3 years duing 2014/15.
318 complaints were received by the Council
Despite this only 2 fixed penalty notices were issued by Council staff
The new play equipment, installed by the local residents association, in the Cornlands park is proving to be a success with local children.
Unfortunately the Council have not only removed the dog proof fence but have failed to provide either a “poop scoop” or litter bn.
The result is that the insecure area is a bit of a mess.
Poop scoop bins missing for months
We’ve asked for a clean up of the whole park, but new bins need to be provided together with some sort of security to prevent access to the play area by dogs.
A similar initiative is needed at the Grange Lane play area
Detritus on playground
Litter piled up around perimeter of park
Residents responding to our door to door survey told us that they were concerned about the amount of dog fouling in their area.
Overall 35% of respondents said it was an issue in their street.
Now a Freedom of information request has revealed that very little is being done by the Council to enforce dog fouling laws. The number of dog fouling fixed penalty notices issued have been:
2009 – 2010 2 issued
2010 – 2011 0 issued
2011 – 2012 0 issued
2012 – 2013 1 issued
2013 – 2014 2 issued
This seems very low to us.
Residents walked round the Chapelfields estate on Saturday and highlighted over 20 incidents of dog fouling.
The poo has been marked and the Council have been asked to visit and clean the footpaths.
Action is being stepped up against irresponsible dog owners on the estate
Affected streets included
Litter and rubbish in little Green Lane garage area
In reality most of the policy is little different from that which was implemented over a decade ago.
Mechanisation has increased the areas that can be swept – particularly in the City centre – but in sub-urban areas litter has been a growing problem since bins were removed a couple of years ago.
The “policy” makes no mention of dog fouling – again a problem that has been on the increase since the Dog Wardens were cut. More joint use litter/poop scoop bins are, however, promised.
Other essential street level posts have been cut leaving York’s front line dangerously undermanned.
The effective, and much missed, Street Environment Officers have now gone to be replaced by an, improbably named, “Smarter York Officer”.
Once again the emphasis is on forcing residents to undertake work previously done by the Council.
Cornlands Road snicket covered in detritus and litter
“Spring cleans” are promised but not in areas like the Cornlands estate where standards are now very poor.
The “cabinet” member taking decisions (the irredeemably inept “leftie” Levene) apparently hasn’t asked for any statistics to be included in the plan.
Residents will want to be sure that their taxes are being spent wisely.
They expect to see performance measures, clear targets and a real on the ground improvement plan.
Sadly that is not part of the agenda for York’s Labour Council.
Foxwood Residents Association members turned out in force yesterday 1 March to blitz the dog fouling problem.
Former Council leader Andrew Waller (yellow jacket) joined residents in their anti dog fouling campaign
Residents walked the area bounded by Tedder Road to the north and Acomb Wood Drive to the south spraying any dog dirt with fluorescent biodegradable paint.
This action draws people’s attention to the issue and avoids them treading in the mess.
It also identifies particular areas where there is a significant problem and where further action, including photographing offenders and reporting them, may occur.
Further action will be taken in the autumn to see whether there has been a reduction in the problem.
The York Council is being pressed to reintroduce the Dog Warden service which was scrapped a couple of years ago.
