Council slammed over dog fouling penalties issue

Oldham Council insist its officers will continue to take environmental crime seriously after it was accused of 'failing to get even the most basic things right' by Oldham Lib-Dems.

The Lib-Dems reported that the authority failed to issue a single fixed penalty notice (FPN) for dog-fouling for three years. 

This fact was supplied as a result of a freedom of information request.

Leader of the Oldham Liberal Democrat Group, Councillor Howard Sykes MBE, said: “This is a shocking fact. 

"We’re talking about the basics here. 

"We hear all this talk from the Labour administration about how they’re getting tough on littering, fly-tipping, and dog-fouling yet the facts say something else.

“The vast majority of dog owners are responsible - the few that are not spoil it for all. 

"This is one of the number one issues in my mailbox, and I know it is for many other councillors and the public. 

"In our Liberal Democrat budget proposals last year, we found the cash for such basic matters that the public clearly want.

“Council bosses are happy to throw thousands of pounds at so called campaigns like ‘Don’t Trash Oldham’, yet fail on the basics like fixed penalties for dog fouling. 

"The facts speak for themselves."

Responding to Cllr Sykes' concerns, an Oldham Council spokesman said: “We take all environmental crime seriously including fly-tipping and dog fouling, which is unsightly and a health hazard.

“Our enforcement officers work really hard with the resources available to them and for almost two years they were responding to the Coronavirus pandemic and working hard to protect members of the public.

“Since restrictions eased the enforcement team have focussed their work on tackling environmental crime as part of Don’t Trash Oldham.

“In the first year of the campaign our teams issued 381 fines and prosecuted 44 people.

"Another 77 cases are awaiting to be heard in the courts.

“Over the coming months officers will continue to enforce against all types of environmental crime and respond to resident’s concerns and reports.

"This work will all be included in the next phase of Don’t Trash Oldham.

“It is the responsibility of every dog owner to clear up after their own pet.

"If they did that their wouldn't be an issue.

“Residents have to ask themselves, if they are not prepared to clean up after their own pet then should they really have a dog?”

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