To consider approval of a new Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) which will be in force until 2027 (3 Years).

That the new Public Spaces Protection Order, attached at Appendix 2 to the report presented, for a period of 3 years, commencing from 6 November 2024 be approved.

A report was presented to seek approval of a new Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) which would be in force until 2027 (3 Years). This fully replaced the previous order which was due to expire on 6th November 2024

During his introduction of the report, the Portfolio Holder for Operational Services highlighted that following consultation with the public, key stakeholders and Town and Parish Councils, the new Order would seek to amend the size of the seasonal dog ban areas to be the same as the blue flag award areas and introduce a restriction on street trading in specific areas of Skegness.

This process would also remove existing PSPO designations where Town or Parish Councils had not pro-actively provided their own enforcement and/or had not responded to the consultation relating to the renewal of the previous designations to the PSPO in their area.

RESOLVED:

That the new Public Spaces Protection Order, attached in Appendix 2 to this report, for a period of 3 years, commencing from 6 November 2024 be approved.

Reasons

·       To meet the statutory requirement to review and where applicable re introduce a new PSPO every three years in order to ensure the following key issues in regard to dog control and street trading in East Lindsey can be enforced;

·       Dog owners failing to clean up after their pets

·       The need to exclude dogs from designated beach areas to maintain Blue Flag Award accreditation.

·       The need to control ad hoc street traders in the Skegness seafront area.

·       Alignment of the PSPO with the other PSPO’s across S&ELCP in respect of demonstrating the means to collect dog fouling when in charge of a dog in areas designated by the order.

Other Options

·       Not renewing the PSPO - This will leave the Council without enforcement powers to deal with dog control offences designated by the PSPO.

·       Not to introduce restrictions on street trading – This will mean it may be difficult to tackle people selling substandard/illegal goods from ad hoc stalls and the problem may increase.

·       Leave the Dog Beach Ban Areas as they are - Feedbackis continually received every year that the beach ban areas are difficult to understand and people are caught out due to the size of the areas. Aligning them with the Blue Flag Award area maintains this requirement whilst making the bans easier to understand for the public and easier to manage and enforce by the Council and its partners.