Agenda item

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 and safety implications for park visitors associated with large groups of dogs, as well as the increased risk of dog fouling.

h)            Dog-free areas in Nonsuch and other parks. In response to a Member, the Head of Parks and Open Spaces confirmed that Overton Park, Quarry Park, and Thomas Wall Park in the Sutton Borough have fenced-off, dog-free areas. The Streetcare Manager confirmed that Nonsuch Park has a fenced-off dog-free area at each of the three entrance gates, and that people recognise and respect the no-dogs rule for the dog-free areas of the Park. She stated that there had been conversations on the idea of converting one of the dog-free areas to a dog-socialising area that could be rented out for dog meet-ups.

i)             Report for next meeting. The Committee agreed that a report with a recommendation from the working group would be brought to the Committee at its October meeting.

Following consideration, the Committee unanimously resolved to:

(1)          Receive the results of the Nonsuch Park Commercial Dog Walking Consultation, as seen at Appendices 2, 3 and 4 of the report.

(2)          Agree to establish a Nonsuch Park Commercial Dog Walking Working Group.

(3)          Approve the draft Terms of Reference for the working group, as set out at Appendix 1 of the report.

(4)          Appoint members to the working group, in line with the rules of membership as set out in the Terms of Reference at appendix 1 of the report.

The Working Group membership was agreed as follows:

-       Councillor Louise Phelan (Chair)

-       Councillor Julian Freeman

-       Councillor Tony Froud

-       Councillor Peter Geiringer

-       Councillor Christine Howells

-       Councillor Vanessa Udall

-       Councillor Christopher Woolmer