A COUNCILLOR is to look into ways to tackle the dog mess epidemic in Winnersh after the problem was highlighted in The Wokingham Paper.
Following our story last week on the problems in and around Bearwood recreation ground, Winnersh Parish councillor Phil Ray raised the issue at this week’s recreation and amenities committee and was asked to investigate what can be done and report back to the September meeting.
Already on Cllr Ray’s agenda to look in to is:
- A campaign launched by Reading Borough Council last week.
- The successful use of contractors to issue fines at Blaenau Gwent council.
- New legislation which has come into force recently.
He said: “They’ve asked me to go out and look at best practice and how this can be tackled at parish and borough level and to come back with findings to see if we can improve things.”
Our story, he said, helped persuade the council to take action.
In the short term he has asked the caretaker to increase patrols but he added: “The main thing is the the council have asked me to go out and come back with proposals in September.”
That meeting is on Tuesday, September 1.
Cllr Ray, who discovered that no-one has ever been fined for allowing dog fouling in the Wokingham borough, says he is delighted to be able to take the problem on.
The issue gets worse in winter because of the darkness but locals, many of them dog owners themselves, have been outraged by those who allow fouling and many made their feelings known on the Winnersh Community Info Facebook group.
Three dog bins are provided in Bearwood recreation ground and three waste bins.
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