Restrictions on Dogs Extended for Three Years on North Ceredigion Beach and Seafront

Restrictions on dogs on part of a north Ceredigion beach and seafront have been extended for a further three years.
Members of Ceredigion’s full council, at their September meeting, backed a call for an extension of a Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) for a designated area of Borth beach for a further three years.
The call for an extension of the existing PSPO had been backed at the September meeting of the council’s Cabinet, with a recommendation members of full council approved it.
A report presented by Cabinet Member for Partnerships, Housing, Legal and Governance and Public Protection Cllr Matthew Vaux, said that Borth had two dog control orders introduced in 2008; one excluding dogs from the beach (May 1 –September 30) and one requiring dogs to be on a lead on the promenade.
Borth Community Council had supported the geographical extension of the existing dog byelaws because of complaints from residents and visitors regarding dog fouling and out-of-control dogs, members heard.
They also heard the section of the beach is part of the Blue Flag Beach assessment area; allowing dogs on the beach during the Blue Flag assessment period could potentially jeoparde the Blue Flag status of Borth Beach.
Those orders were later replaced by Public Space Protection Orders in 2017, which have a three-year period.
Implementation of an order makes it an offence when a person in charge of a dog takes a dog onto, or permits the dog to enter or to remain on, any land to which the Order applies (with exceptions), or fails to keep a dog on a lead (with exceptions).
Offenders are liable to a summary conviction and a fine not exceeding £500.
The PSPO in Borth was renewed in 2020, extended until October 19, 2023.
A review of this PSPO has been carried out by Ceredigion County Council’s Public Protection, contacting Dyfed Powys Police, the Dyfed Powys Police & Crime Commissioner and Borth Community Council, with no formal objections received, members were told.
Cllr Vaux said, since October 20, 2020, 40 complaints have been received by the Clic call centre, regarding dogs on beaches contrary to exclusion orders and requesting that more enforcement be carried out; 10 of them relating to Borth.
“If the PSPO was to lapse, it would increase the number of complaints rather than reduce them; we are satisfied that the two conditions of the PSPO have both been met and the PSPO should be extended for a further three years,” he said.
The recommendation for an extension of the existing PSPO, moved by Cllr Vaux, was unanimously backed by fellow councillors. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​