Sunday 8 July 2012

Dog fouling campaign #rdg

This is something councillor Melanie Eastwood has been taking a lead – no pun intended – on. The council are now more active on this subject – see the e-mail below. I have suggested a few other roads in the area which might benefit.

 
Dear Cllrs
 
I am writing to let you know about the above campaign which will be carried out in the Newtown area on Wednesday 11th July and to invite you to come along.  We are hoping to have a group photograph at 10:30am on the grassed area at Avon Place where we will have a gazebo
 
This campaign is building on the work carried out in Whitley earlier this year and as a result of views expressed in the “Lets Talk Campaign”, enquiries the service has received, and also the knowledge of front line staff and local groups.
 
This is the second event of the campaign with the first having been held in the Kensington Park area in June.  The area we will be covering is shown In the attached map but for information is as follows: Kennet Side (path and cycle track) – from The Jolly Anglers PH and houses 318 & 320 and 336 to 346 along to the first Railway Authority Bridge; Newtown Primary School / surrounding  area; Avon Place – houses 1-4 and small block of flats opposite; Cholmeley Road – houses 168 to 142 and 119 opposite; School Terrace – houses 1 to 31; Cumberland Road – houses 154 – 136 and 107 – 143
 
This is quite a contained area and the reason for this is to ensure we can provide effective officer presence, however prior to the event flyers/posters will be distributed to a slightly wider area..
 
The campaign will work as follows:
 
1.                 A press release will be issued next week 
2.                 At the beginning of the week commencing 9th July, the dog wardens and street care environment team will visit the area to distribute posters/flyers to residents, shops, and schools
3.                 On the day the dog wardens and street care environment staff will be in the area from 07:00 to 21:00.  PCSO’s for the area have been invited to attend
4.                 Officers will be talking to residents and handing out flyers, leaflets, posters and poop scoops. 
5.                 If anyone is found allowing their dog to foul and not clearing up after them they will be issued with a £75 Fixed Penalty Notice.
6.                 The street care environment team will spray any faeces found on the day pink and arrange for it to be cleaned up by the following day.
7.                 We are also proposing to spray a stencil on the pavements showing a dog fouling with the words clean it up (these signs will eventually wash away).
8.                 Towards the end of the week the dog wardens will return to the area to assess impact.  This will be repeated again the following week.   
 
If you have any queries please do not hesitate to contact me or the dog warden service on 0118 9372251 or e-mail dogwardenservice@reading.gov.uk
 
Yours sincerely

2 comments:

Wendy said...

Whilst I applaud any attempt to clean up dog faeces I am exceptionally worried about the idea of spraying it with coloured paint.

My 3 year old will stay clear of dog mess because she knows what it is, but will probably not do the same for a bright pink object. I cant imagine I am the only parent with a child like this.

Rob White said...

Thanks for your comment. I believe the council spray the dog poo pink, take a few photos and clear it up all in a fairly short space of time. They have also trialled this elsewhere.