By Julie Waters
COUNCILLORS are to gauge the views of local residents on plans to limit the number of dogs one person can walk in public parks around the Ards and North Down borough.
Following concerns about people walking multiple dogs in council-owned parks, particularly unlicensed professional dog walkers from outside the borough, a report was presented to the council’s recent Active and Healthy Communities committee.
However, such were the proposed costs of almost £500,000 of implementing the Dog Control Order (DCO) contained in the report, that alderman Martin McRandal said the ‘figures scare me’.
The major part of the bill for the DCO would be for three new enforcement officers who would be needed to properly police the new rules; the cost of putting three new officers on the road, including vans and IT provision, was estimated at just over £400,000.
Following concerns about the proposed costs, councillors have instead given the green light to carrying out a public consultation that will first gauge the views of local people on the proposed dog walking restrictions.
Green Party councillor Barry McKee proposed a further report be brought back to the committee, containing the public consultation content, options on the maximum number of dogs permitted and the areas where the restrictions would apply.
He further proposed the committee write to Andrew Muir, the Minister for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs seeking a mandatory registration system for professional dog walkers and for financial support for councils to enforce the requirements of restrictions.
The Bangor West councillor said a public consultation was needed before any changes were made as it was important to gauge the views of people who may be affected by the order.
Mr McKee said the borough was committed to being a ‘dog- friendly’ borough where residents could enjoy shared spaces. “We need to do all we can to keep public spaces safe and accessible for everybody who uses them,” he said.
Mr McKee said the majority of professional dog walkers were ‘responsible and provide a really good service’ but there were some people who did not meet that standard and both ‘public safety and animal welfare had to be protected’.
DUP councillor James Cochrane seconded the ‘sensible’ proposal, agreeing that a public consultation would help ‘tease out the number of dogs’ that could be walked and the specific areas.
Alderman Martin McRandal voiced his concerns about the proposed costings saying: “I have my concerns about this, the figures that are in the report scare me, the size of them.”
The Holywood and Clandeboye councillor said he regularly saw professional dog walkers in Redburn Park and had only received one complaint.
Said Mr McRandal: “I don’t perceive it to be a significant issue, it needs to be a significant issue to warrant a significant cost.” He said he had ‘no issue’ writing to the DAERA Minister but would not be ‘terribly optimistic’ about receiving funding.
Councillor Carl McClean echoed the cost concerns, describing them as ‘extraordinary’, and asked for confirmation that a ‘consultation is only a consultation’ and would not commit the council to any expenditure.
A council official stated the report would contain further recommendations then it would be up to the committee to decide the best course of action. Each committee decision must be ratified at a full council meeting at the end of the month.
