Issue - meetings

This report presents the Committee with the results of the Nonsuch Park Commercial Dog Walking Consultation and recommends that a Working Group be established to consider how the matter should be progressed.

The Committee received a report presenting the results of the Nonsuch Park Commercial Dog Walking Consultation and recommending establishment of a Working Group to consider how the matter should be progressed.

The Committee considered the following matters:

a)            Dog number limit. It was noted that, according to the results of the consultation, the general opinion from the public was that there should be a 4 to 6-dog limit on the number of dogs walked at any time by one person. The Streetcare manager advised that the general view from professional dog-walkers was that a 6 dogs was the lowest the upper limit could be for their business to be viable.

b)            Displacement. It was considered that placing a limit on the number of dogs allowed to be walked commercially by any one person in Nonsuch Park could cause a displacement resulting in an increase in dogs walked instead at nearby parks in Epsom and Sutton instead.

c)            Purpose of the working group. Following a question from a Member, the Streetcare Manager advised that the purpose of the working group would be to consider the necessity and/or viability of a possible licensing scheme for commercial dog walking in the Park, and to consider what such a scheme may look like. Further to its considerations, the working group would make a recommendation to the Committee for a decision.

d)            Consistency with other commercial operations. It was noted that, should a commercial dog-walking licensing scheme be put in place, it would be important to remain consistent, with respect to the fees and charges, with other commercial operations in the Park, such as the fitness coaching that takes place in the Park. The Streetcare Manager confirmed that any money raised through a dog-walking licensing scheme would go directly towards the upkeep and maintenance of the park and would not be treated as a revenue scheme.

e)            Licensing scheme in other parks. It was confirmed that there were currently no commercial dog-walking licensing schemes in place for any parks in Epsom & Ewell or Sutton. It was noted that responses to Qs 17 of the consultation indicated that the largest proportion of people who supported a licensing scheme in Nonsuch Park also supported the idea of such a scheme being extended to all parks in both boroughs.

f)             Complaints from park visitors with respect to other parks. The Head of Parks and Open Spaces stated that the dog-related complaints received from visitors of Nonsuch Park were also received with respect to other parks in the Sutton area. He stated that fouling in particular was an issue in some of the smaller, less busy parks. The Streetcare Manager confirmed that complaints were also frequently received with respect to fouling in Nonsuch Park.

g)            Large dog groups and associated risks. It was noted that there were currently no regulations in place for the number of dogs that could be walked commercially by a single person at any one time in the Park. The Committee considered the potential health  ...  view the full minutes text for item 6