We are extending this consultation in response to comments from residents about providing additional clarity on the proposals. In addition, on the consultation page, some areas were missing from the list of proposed new sites that would be subject to dog controls, so we have added these and attached a copy of the draft PSPO.
All existing and new comments received in the consultation will be analysed and used to inform any recommendations by Council officers to Cabinet on the content of the revised dog control PSPO. No decision will be made on the proposals until after the consultation has closed.
The consultation will now close on 15 December 2023.
Hackney Council currently has a Dog Control Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) in place. The purpose of this PSPO is to control several issues that arise as a result of people failing to exercise proper control of dogs in public places.
The PSPO includes controls on dog fouling, defining areas where dogs are not permitted – such as playgrounds – and requiring dogs to be on leads in some public spaces.
The current PSPO is due to expire on 17 March 2024 and can be viewed at: https://hackney.gov.uk/dog-control-orders
We are proposing to:
PSPOs are aimed at ensuring public spaces can be enjoyed free from anti-social behaviour. They are not about stopping the responsible use of public spaces, but they do provide councils with a tool to tackle persistent issues that are damaging their communities.
Over the past eighteen months, we have received a large amount of correspondence relating to the behaviour of dogs in the borough. Many residents are nervous about the large numbers of dogs in Hackney’s parks and green spaces.
In addition, there are increasing numbers of professional dog walkers using Hackney’s larger parks and green spaces. It is very difficult for professional dog walkers to be in control of high numbers of dogs at any one time.
This PSPO has been designed to be as clear as possible, giving clarity and outlining expectations. Well-behaved dogs can be walked or exercised freely off-lead in most large parks. This promotes healthy exercise for dogs and takes into consideration the needs of the borough's dog owners and the welfare of dogs.
The aim of the public consultation is to invite views from all Hackney residents and interested groups about a variety of dog control related issues and potential amendments to the current PSPO. Additionally, the consultation aims to enhance comprehension of residents' firsthand encounters with dog control in parks and public spaces.
The draft PSPO will include:
And a new requirement:
5. A ‘maximum number of dogs’ requirement, which makes it an offence for one person to have more than four dogs under their control at any one time. This requirement applies to the entire borough.
The following would be exempt from the Dog Control PSPO:
The following would be exempt from all provisions of the Dog Control PSPO, except the ‘dog fouling of land’ prohibition:
If the person in charge of a dog fails to comply with the requirements of an order, they will be issued with a £100 Fixed Penalty Notice and taken to court if the Fixed Penalty Notice is not paid within the specified timeframe. A person guilty of an offence is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale (£1,000) unless:
We are proposing that the PSPO lasts for three years, until March 2027, at which point we would decide whether to renew it in consultation with residents.
You can find a map showing the details and locations of the prohibitions/requirements in the Online Survey.
Dogs would be excluded from the following locations. Proposed new locations are underlined and in bold:
BMX Tracks |
HAGGERSTON PARK, E2 |
Children’s Play Areas |
|||
ALLENS GARDENS, N16 |
EVERGREEN ADVENTURE PLAYGROUND, E8 |
MILLFIELDS PARK, E5 |
ST JOHN’S CHURCHYARD PLAY AREA, E9 |
BROADWAY MARKET GREEN, E8 |
HACKNEY DOWNS, E5 |
PEARSON STREET ADVENTURE PLAYGROUND, E2 |
STOKE NEWINGTON COMMON, N16 |
BUTTERFIELD GREEN, N16 |
HACKNEY MARSH ADVENTURE PLAYGROUND, E9 |
ROWLEY GARDENS, N4 |
STONEBRIDGE GARDENS, E8 |
CLAPTON COMMON, E5 |
HAGGERSTON PARK, E2 |
SHAKESPEARE WALK ADVENTURE PLAYGROUND, N16 |
WELL STREET COMMON, E9 |
CLAPTON POND, E5 |
HOMERTON GROVE ADVENTURE PLAYGROUND, E9 |
SHEPHERDESS WALK, N1 |
WEST HACKNEY RECREATION GROUND, N16 |
CLAPTON SQUARE, E5 |
KIDS ADVENTURE PLAYGROUND, E5 |
SHOREDITCH PARK ADVENTURE PLAYGROUND, N1 |
WOODBERRY DOWN PARK, N4 |
CLISSOLD PARK, N16 |
KYNASTON GARDENS, N16 |
SHOREDITCH PARK, N1 |
|
DAUBENEY FIELDS, E9 |
LONDON FIELDS, E8 |
SPRING PARK, N4 |
|
DE BEAUVOIR SQUARE, N1 |
MABLEY GREEN, E9 |
SPRINGFIELD PARK, E5 |
Fenced Off Dog Free Areas |
||
CLISSOLD PARK, N16 (dog free area and surrounds of Clissold House/Rose Garden) |
HACKNEY DOWNS PICNIC AREA, E5 |
SPRINGFIELD PARK (CAFÉ SEATING AREA) |
HACKNEY DOWNS (OLD BOWLING GREEN AREA), E5 |
MILLFIELDS PARK, E5 |
SPRINGFIELD PARK (OLD BOWLING GREEN AREA), E5 |
Multi Use Games Areas |
||
ASKE GARDENS, N1 |
HAGGERSTON PARK, E2 |
SHOREDITCH PARK, N1 |
BUTTERFIELD GREEN, N16 |
LONDON FIELDS, E8 |
STONEBRIDGE GARDENS, E8 |
CLISSOLD PARK, N16 |
ROWLEY GARDENS, N4 |
UFTON GARDENS, N1 |
HACKNEY DOWNS, E5 |
SHEPHERDESS WALK, N1 |
Outdoor Gyms |
||
BUTTERFIELD GREEN, N16 |
MILLFIELDS PARK, E5 |
SPRINGFIELD PARK, E5 |
HAGGERSTON PARK, E2 |
MABLEY GREEN, E9 |
WEST HACKNEY RECREATION GROUND, N16 |
LONDON FIELDS, E8 |
SHOREDITCH PARK, N1 |
Small Parks |
DE BEAUVOIR SQUARE |
Skate Parks |
|
CLISSOLD PARK, N16 |
DAUBENEY FIELDS, E9 |
Splash Pads and Children’s Water Features |
|
CLISSOLD PARK, N16 |
ST JOHN’S CHURCHYARD, E9 |
Sports Courts |
||
ASKE GARDENS TENNIS COURT, N1 |
HACKNEY DOWNS TENNIS COURTS, E5 |
MILLFIELDS PARK TENNIS COURTS, E5 |
CLISSOLD PARK TENNIS COURTS, N16 |
LONDON FIELDS PETANQUE COURT, E8 |
SHOREDITCH PARK BEACH VOLLEYBALL COURT, N1 |
GAINSBOROUGH PLAYING FIELDS, E20 |
LONDON FIELDS TENNIS COURTS, E8 |
SPRINGFIELD PARK TENNIS COURTS, E5 |
HACKNEY DOWNS BASKETBALL COURTS, E5 |
MILLFIELDS PARK BASKETBALL COURTS, E5 |
SPRING HILL RECREATION GROUND TENNIS COURTS, E5 |
Sports Playing Pitches |
||
HACKNEY DOWNS CRICKET AND FOOTBALL PITCHES, E5 |
MABLEY GREEN ARTIFICIAL TURF PITCHES, E9 |
SPRING HILL RECREATION GROUND RUGBY PITCHES, E5 |
HACKNEY MARSHES CRICKET, FOOTBALL AND RUGBY PITCHES, E9 |
MABLEY GREEN FOOTBALL PITCHES, E9 |
SPRINGFIELD PARK CRICKET PITCHES, E5 |
HAGGERSTON PARK ARTIFICIAL TURF PITCH, E2 |
MILLFIELDS PARK CRICKET PITCHES, E5 |
|
LONDON FIELDS CRICKET PITCH, E8 |
SHOREDITCH PARK SPORTS PITCHES, N1 |
Water Sports Centre and Reservoirs |
WEST RESERVOIR, N4 |
You can find a map showing the details and locations of the prohibitions/requirements in the Online Survey.
Dogs would need to be on leads in the following locations. Proposed new locations are underlined and in bold:
ABNEY PARK CEMETERY, N16 |
KIT CROWLEY GARDENS, E9 |
ST THOMAS’ RECREATION GROUND, E9 |
ALBION PARADE, N16 |
KYNASTON GARDENS, N16 |
ST THOMAS' SQUARE, E9 |
ALBION SQUARE GARDENS, E8 |
LEVY MEMORIAL GROUND, N16 |
STONEBRIDGE COMMON, E8 |
ASKE GARDENS, N1 |
MARK STREET GARDEN, EC2 |
UFTON GARDENS, N1 |
BROADWAY MARKET GREEN, E8 |
QUAKER BURIAL GROUND, N16 |
WEST HACKNEY RECREATION GROUND, N16 |
CHARLES SQUARE, N1 |
ROBIN HOOD COMMUNITY GARDEN, E5 |
WINDSOR TERRACE, EC1 |
CHURCH STREET GARDENS, N16 |
SHACKLEWELL GREEN, E8 |
SHEPHERDESS WALK, N1 (which is over half a hectare in size) |
CLAPTON POND, E5 |
SHORE GARDENS, E9 |
QUEEN ELIZABETH OLYMPIC PARK (which is over half a hectare in size) |
CLISSOLD PARK ANIMAL ENCLOSURE, N16 |
ST JOHN AT HACKNEY CHURCHYARD, E8 |
|
FAIRCHILD’S GARDEN, E2 |
ST JOHN OF JERUSALEM CHURCHYARD, E9 |
|
GOLDSMITH'S SQUARE RECREATION GROUND, E2 |
ST LEONARD'S CHURCHYARD, E1 |
|
HOMERTON GROVE, E2 |
ST MARY'S OLD CHURCH, N16 |
|
HOXTON SQUARE, N1 |
ST THOMAS' LONG BURIAL GROUND, E9 |
1. What amendments have you made to the Dog Control PSPO consultation page:
2. Has a decision already been made on what will be included in the Dog Control PSPO?
No. We welcome all views and comments on the consultation proposals. All existing and new comments received in the consultation will be analysed and used to inform any recommendations by Council officers to Cabinet on the content of the revised Dog Control PSPO. No decision will be made on the proposals until after the consultation has closed.
3. Why aren’t you responding to comments raised in the consultation?
We have updated the Frequently Asked Questions on the consultation page to answer a number of questions that have been raised frequently. This however, is a consultation on draft proposals to get the views and comments of residents on the proposals. It would therefore not be practical to respond directly to all the individual comments that have been made in the consultation at this stage. However, the comments will be addressed when the Council makes a decision on the draft PSPO.
4. Why are you proposing to add new sites in the draft PSPO that dogs are excluded from?
The existing Dog Control Public Space Protection Order already excludes dogs from BMX tracks, children’s play areas, courts, multi use games areas, outdoor gyms, fenced off picnic areas, sports grounds and skate parks.
The proposed additional sites that dogs are excluded from reflects an updating of the list from 2021 for these types of facilities.
In addition, a number of areas that are fenced off and have traditionally been dog free are proposed to be formalised.
5. What areas of Clissold Park are you proposing to be dog free in the draft PSPO?
In the current PSPO, the following areas are designated as dogs free in Clissold Park:
The draft PSPO still includes these areas and also proposes the inclusion of the following areas:
6. Why are you proposing that dogs be kept on leads in Abney Park Cemetery in the draft PSPO?
The Council recognises the benefits of dog walking, particularly as a healthy and social activity that encourages physical and mental wellbeing.
However, to help balance the needs of dog walkers with those of other visitors and the particular character of Abney Park Cemetery, the Council is proposing to add Abney Park Cemetery to the list of sites where dogs must be kept on a lead.
The Council is proposing to make this change now for a number of reasons:
In the context of Abney the above apply particularly to ground feeding birds like Blackbirds, Robins, Wrens, Song Thrush, Jays, etc. and small mammals like wood mice and bank voles.
In addition, allowing dogs to run freely in Abney could lead to habitat disruption and damage to plant life (e.g. toadstools [fungal fruiting bodies] can be trampled. The impact of dogs off leads exceeds that of dogs kept on leads, so requiring dogs to be on leads helps protect this precious ecological site and maintains the balance of its delicate ecosystem.
We have not proposed to exclude dogs from Abney Park Cemetery entirely, given the benefits of dog walking for residents, and instead are proposing an integrated management strategy that still allows dogs, but controls them for the benefit of Abney as a whole. Abney Park Cemetery is a unique environment and we have a responsibility to protect and manage the Cemetery to balance the needs of people and wildlife, so that both continue to flourish.
The measures we are proposing to introduce aims to strike a balance between responsible dog ownership and the protection of this unique and valuable site.
7. Did you consider other options to address some of the challenges at Abney Park Cemetery, instead of the proposed requirement for dogs to be on leads?
We did think about other options at an early stage, including excluding dogs from the site (with the exception of those exempt from the PSPO) and possibly ‘zoning’ the site to allow dogs to be off the lead in certain areas.
We discounted the idea of excluding dogs from Abney Park Cemetery at a very early stage as we didn’t consider it to be proportional or fair, given the benefits of dog walking for residents in Abney. We also didn’t think that ‘zoning’ was a particularly practical option and would not specifically address a number of the reasons why we are proposing the requirement for dogs to be on the lead in Abney.
Instead we are proposing an integrated management strategy that still allows dogs, but controls them for the benefit of Abney as a whole.
8. What happens if there are other areas that people think should be included in terms of dogs being excluded from or dogs must be kept on leads in? Can these be included in this draft Public Space Protection Order?
We welcome all views and comments on the consultation proposals. All comments received in the consultation will be analysed and a report written, enabling the Council to make a decision on what should be included in the Public Space Protection Order.
9. Why are you proposing to add new sites in the draft PSPO that dogs must be kept on leads in?
We are updating the list of sites that dogs must be kept on a lead in, for three main reasons:
10. Are the new proposals in the draft PSPO that dogs be kept on leads in Abney Park Cemetery linked to the creation of a new venue in Abney Park Chapel?
No. The proposals have nothing to do with the creation of the new venue, which will have its own separate management arrangements in place to ensure events are appropriately managed.
11. Won’t the events that are proposed to be held in Abney Park Chapel have as much of an impact on the biodiversity and ecology of Abney as dogs?
No. Any events that will be held in the new venue will be self-contained, have limited impact on the wider Park and will be carefully managed by the Council’s Venues Team according to a management plan, as they do currently for similar venues in Clissold Park and Springfield Park.
In addition, restrictions have been placed on the new venue by the Licensing Committee to ensure a balance with Abney’s status.
12. Will this draft PSPO stop me from exercising my dog off of a lead?
No - dogs will still be able to be exercised off the lead in many parks and green spaces in the borough, with the exception of those areas and sites they would be excluded from, and those that they must remain on a lead within.
13. Does this draft PSPO apply to professional dog walkers?
Yes.
We are also proposing a ‘maximum number of dogs’ requirement that applies to everyone. This would make it a breach of the PSPO for a person to have more than four dogs under their control at any one time.
14. Why are you proposing the maximum number of dogs for a person to have is four in the draft PSPO?
Guidance issued by the RSPCA (and endorsed by Canine & Feline Sector Group, the Dogs Trust and the Pet Industry Federation) for professional dog walkers, and prepared in the best interests of animal welfare, recommends that no more than four dogs are walked by one person at any one time. This guidance is supported by a number of other organisations associated with professional dog walking.
15. Have you thought about a licensing scheme for professional dog walkers?
Yes, we have considered this. However, based on best practice guidance, we believe the maximum number of dogs that one individual can control is four - regardless of whether the person is a member of the public or professional dog walker. We therefore don’t consider a licensing scheme necessary.
The vast majority of dog owners act responsibly, keeping their dogs under control and clearing up their dog’s waste. However, the Council continues to receive complaints about dog-related negative behaviour and irresponsible dog owners.
In response to this, we have made some proposed variations to the Dog Control PSPO and are consulting with residents to ask their opinions about a variety of dog control-related issues. The feedback from this consultation will help to shape and inform the final Dog Control PSPO.
We would like to hear your views on any aspects of the proposed Dog Control PSPO. Please complete the survey and provide us with your feedback.
The consultation has been extended to ensure everyone has the opportunity to let us know what they think and now closes on 15 December 2023.
If you need any information on this website in a different format please email consultation@hackney.gov.uk We’ll consider your request and get back to you within 5 working days.
Further information:
The draft Dog Control PSPO and the areas it covers can be viewed here.
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