COUNTY-WIDE protection orders restricting anti-social behaviour involving dogs and alcohol in Flintshire will go out to consultation this autumn.
Flintshire County Council’s Cabinet has voted to open fresh online public engagement exercises in September as it look to renew two expiring Public Spaces Protection Orders.
The first is its Dog Control PSPO. This order requires dog owners to remove their own dog’s mess from all public places within Flintshire and always have means on their person to pick up dog waste when out in public with their pet.
Dog owners are also required – if the dog is causing a nuisance – to put it on a lead when asked by an authorised officer and to keep it on a lead in any cemetery.
The order also bans dogs from entering the playing areas of public marked sports pitches, formal recreation areas including bowling greens and tennis courts, fenced equipped children’s play areas and all areas within school grounds.
There are specific restrictions banning dogs entering Mold Memorial Garden and The Rosie fishing lake in Wepre Park.
The Alcohol Control PSPO also covers the entire county and gives police officers the power to request members of the public surrender their alcohol if they are believed to be causing a nuisance in a public place.
The ban is not enforced as a total alcohol ban in public areas and is not applicable to licensed premises which may have outdoor drinking areas.
PSPOs expire after three years and these two – the only active PSPOs in Flintshire – were last enacted in October 2023. Each time the authority seeks to renew the orders it has to carry out a consultation with the community and stakeholders.
“I am seeking Cabinet support to commence a statutory consultation on the extension of Flintshire’s two existing Public Spaces Protection Orders, covering dog control and alcohol control, for a further three-year period,” Cllr Ted Palmer told Flintshire Cabinet members on Tuesday.
“These orders continue to provide an important mechanism for addressing anti-social behaviour and protecting the enjoyment of public spaces across Flintshire.
“Seeking public and stakeholder views will ensure any future decision is evidence-based, proportionate and reflects the needs of our communities.”
Cabinet backed the motion and the consultation will be scheduled to take place in September.
