Oldham Council responds to complaints over failing to hand out fines for dog fouling

Oldham Council has responded to criticism over  failing to renew several enforcement orders for environmental crime and  failing to issue Fixed Penalty Notices for dog fouling since 2021.

Details uncovered by  Saddleworth West and Lees councillor Mark Kenyon confirm  no fines were issued for dog fouling in the years 2022 to 2024.

 And councillor Howard Sykes MBE, said the council  confirmed it failed to renew its enforcement orders for dog fouling, leading to years of missed fines.

He said:” By failing to get the basics right, the council missed hundreds of opportunities to prosecute an environmental crime and tackle this anti-social behaviour.”

This follows news, he claimed,  the council allowed public space protection orders (PSPO) covering green spaces and moorlands to lapse in late 2023,  meaning  the Council has been unable to prosecute environmental crime in those areas for more than six months. 

He  said:“The council  has failed to protect our moors and green spaces.  Over the years we’ve had fires on the moors started by disposable BBQs and alike. 

“This is exactly the sort of crime we would currently be unable to prosecute because the administration has left our green spaces without proper legal protection.  We now find we our powerless about dog-fouling, makes you wonder what else has not been done doesn’t it.”

But Nasir Dad, the council’s Executive Director for Environment, said: “Dog fouling is an issue that blights neighbourhoods across the country. The vast majority of dog owners clean up after their pets, but sadly a small minority don’t.
 
“The dog orders did lapse during 2021 but at that time our small team of officers were busy prioritising protecting residents against Covid. We are looking to renew them to cover shared public spaces .
 
“We recently carried out a consultation on a new Town Centre PSPO and five new Place PSPOs, that focus on the alleys behind properties protected by alleygates. These five new PSPOs include terms relating to dog fouling that cover more than 200 alleygated schemes.
 
“Our officers cannot be everywhere at once,” he declared. “We would urge everyone to clean up after their dogs as that would improve the cleanliness of our streets and open spaces.
 
“If you aren’t prepared to clean up after your dog then should you even have one?“
 
And he added:” With regard to the moorland PSPOs, the one which covers Saddleworth is in force and the one for Crompton is due to be renewed imminently.”