Measures to tackle irresponsible dog owners across Hastings

On Monday (March 6), Hastings Borough Council’s Cabinet signed off proposals to reinstitute the town’s Dog Control Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) — a legal framework needed to address problems like fouling and out-of-control dogs.

The move comes after the town’s previous PSPO ran out in 2020. The council says it was not renewed at this time, due to pressures resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic.

Cllr Judy Rogers, lead councillor for planning, governance, and community safety, said: “Because the PSPO ran out during covid, it has given us a chance to have a really good look again at what we are doing with the orders and to make sure that they are absolutely fair to both dog owners and non dog owners, so that we are treating each respectfully and fairly.

“We want to make it simple for people who are visiting our town or people who are living here so that they know when they can have their dogs off the lead, when they should be on the lead and where they can and can’t take dogs.”

The PSPO decision follows on from a consultation last year, which with more than 800 responses saw an unusually large amount of feedback from residents.

As a result of these responses, the dog control areas on the beach are smaller than originally proposed and are now more similar to the dog control PSPO which ran from 2017 to 2020.

The council has committed to undertake further consultation to further refine the PSPO. This is expected to include measures to further limit the number of dogs a single person can take out on a lead at one time (from six to four).

Under the new PSPO rules, dogs will be excluded from Rock-a-Nore beach to the west of the pier and from the beach from the east end of Warrior Square to the east ramp outside the Royal Victoria Hotel between April 1 and September 30 each year.

However, dogs will be allowed on the beach from the west of the pier to the east end of Warrior Square, as well as from the east ramp outside the Royal Victoria Hotel until the borough boundary at any time.

The exclusion order for Rock-a-Nore beach will not apply to dogs used by the town’s fishing industry.

The PSPO also has rules about when dogs can be off-lead in the town’s public parks.

Dogs must be on leads in the following parks from 9am to 5pm: the section of Alexandra Park between Bethune Way and Dordrecht Way; the northside of the West Hill; the Grosvenor open space; Gensing Gardens; Wishing Tree Road North; Linton Gardens; Bembrook open space; and the White Rock Gardens skate park.

Similar restrictions will also be in place in the town’s other parks and gardens (i.e. those without playground facilities), although the hours of operation will be shorter in the winter to reflect shorter hours of daylight.