Consultation into Public Space Protection Orders for New Forest national park is approved

FINING owners of out-of-control dogs in the New Forest was ruled out by the district council as it approved consultation into proposed new powers to deal with anti-social behaviour in the national park.

In a drive to tackle wildfires caused by the use of barbecues and the impact on commoners’ animals through feeding and petting, New Forest District Council intends to bring in Public Space Protection Orders (PSPO) that would make them criminal offences, with fines of up to £1,000.

At a meeting of the ruling cabinet, Brian Tarnoff, of conservation group Friends of the New Forest, pushed for the order to include out-of-control dogs.

He said: “Such an order may include leads being mandatory when their use is requested by any staff of the relevant land managers – primarily during the ground-nesting bird season but also for any other reasonable management purpose intended to reduce disturbance to wildlife or commoners’ stock.

“The order would also cover out-of-control dogs worrying, chasing or attacking livestock; persistent dog fouling of car parks and paths; and littering, including leaving bagged faeces.”

Mr Tarnoff went on: “The district council should not treat this as a political hot potato – there is nothing here that is not already agreed to by the key stakeholders, and you would address an arguably more prevalent set of issues in a timely fashion and without having to go through a separate, more costly consultation.”

However, Cllr Diane Andrews stressed there needed to be a “robust and well documented evidence base” for bringing in a PSPO which, in the case of out-of-control dogs, was not “sufficiently developed” at this stage.

But she added: “I agree that there are clearly problems and incidents involving dogs, and this is not to say that this issue may not be considered in the future.”

There was widespread support among councillors for the introduction of the two orders to curb barbecues and the feeding of Forest stock, which was more widepread now than ever despite a series of high-profile campaigns and an operational ban on barbecues.

The new rules would mean those caught by enforcement authorities – including the national park authority, verderers and Forestry England – could face on-the-spot £100 fines or prosecution, with a maximum penalty of £1,000.

However, as detailed in the officers’ report to cabinet, rules on barbecues and campfires would not apply to the main New Forest campsites

Cllr Ann Sevier, a practising commoner, welcomed the move, saying it “horrified” her to see people getting too close to the animals.

“We’ve got leaflets warning the public coming out of our ears, and yet the problem gets worse and worse every year,” she said.

“For the benefit of people coming to visit, we do need this – and for the sake of the animals, because if they are taken off the Forest for becoming vicious towards people, they are shot.”

However, some councillors were concerned the move would lead to the demonisation of not only visitors but the New Forest pony as an aggressive breed.

Cllr Richard Frampton questioned whether the petting of animals should be made an offence, saying it was the feeding of stock that led to the problematic behaviour.