Kids Council kicks up a stink about dog fouling

Failing to pick up after your dog is not just anti-social it can have health impacts as well - so the Borough Council has joined forces with the High Peak Kids Council and a New Mills primary school to highlight the issue.

High Peak Borough Council has launched its Dog Watch scheme in partnership with New Mills Primary School following reports of issues with dog fouling in the vicinity.

Council Leader, Councillor Tony Ashton, visited the school on Monday where he met headteacher Claire Whetstone and the two Year 6 pupils who represent the school on High Peak Kids Council.

He said: "There is simply no excuse for not picking up after your dog - it's thoughtless and irresponsible and unpleasant for local residents. We know there are problems in the area around New Mills Primary School so it's great to be able to work with the school, and the young people in particular, to highlight and address this issue and I'd like to thank the school for their support.

"We're increasing patrols in the area and we've leafleted the local residents to remind them to behave responsibly when exercising their pets and also to encourage people to report dog fouling to us.

"It's great to see the Kids Council getting involved too. Collectively they've chosen one poster design to help strengthen the message and I hope that people who see it when they're out in the community will think twice about the impact thoughtless actions such as not picking up dog mess have on other people."

Miss Whetstone said: "We are very proud that the children on the High Peak Kids Council felt so strongly about dog fouling that they worked together to produce a poster. This poster is displayed in the local community.

"Pupil voice is very important to us and we hope that their hard work helps to improve the situation."

Anyone caught not cleaning up after their pet can be fined up to £1,000 if they fail to pay a fixed penalty fine of £80 - and rates are set to increase to £100 in April.

And failing to pay the fixed penalty has cost a Buxton man £450 after he allowed his dog to foul on Harpur Hill Road in the town in May last year.

Magistrates at Derby Justice Centre fined Mark Phillips, of Burlow Road, £220 and ordered him to pay costs of £200 and a victim surcharge of £30.

Councillor Ashton added: "The Council will always seek to prosecute and name people who fail to pay fixed penalty fines so I'm pleased that the Court has supported our efforts to ensure our public spaces stay clean for everyone to enjoy."