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DOG ACCESS QUESTIONNAIRE
Safeguarding the Health & Safety of Children at Bu
ryfields
Recreation Gro
und
The Buryfields Recreation Ground is well used by Parishioners of Cradley &
Storridge, and in particular by the residents of Buryfields and their immediate
neighbours.
Cradley & Storridge Parish Council are responsible for its safe upkeep and use, and this includes
minimising the risks to children and adults using the area, from possible infection associated with dog
faeces and from inappropriate dog behaviour/biting.
Outlined below are a number of options to help reduce the risks from dogs at Buryfields. Each provides
varying degrees of safety improvement for the children and adults using the area. We would like to
hear your views and comments on the options we are considering, to help inform the Council’s decision
making. The drawing overleaf illustrates how the Recreation Ground would be affected by each of the
four options. Each option would be undertaken in conjunction with the Council establishing a Public
Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) which could exclude dogs from particular areas and place other
restrictions on them and their owners in using the Recreation Ground. A PSPO is legally enforceable
and offending dog owners could be subject to fines.
Option One: Exclude dogs from the whole of the Buryfields Recreation Ground. This app
roach has
been used at the Chapel Lane Recreation Ground where dogs have been excluded under established
Byelaws. In the future their continued exclusion at Chapel Lane will be supported
by a PSPO, so that
there is a common system of enforcement in place across the Parish Council.
Option Two: This option would allow dogs to enter an area adjacent to the Comm
unity orchard. The
area would be accessed from the path along the side of the Recreation Ground which runs down to
th
e
stream, and not through the existing main access gate. The exact size of this dog only area can be
varied dependent on people’s views about the amount of the general play/football are that should be
used to support this option. This option could also include an area j
ust inside the main access gate to
the Recreation Ground, that could be fenced off to allow people with dogs to sit and socialise with the
ir
dogs as they meet with friends /neighbours and/or watch the children playing. This option could be
considered a compromise which reduces the risks to children and adults using the Play Equipment and
a slightly reduced general play/football area, while
providing residents with a dedicated area where they
can exercise their dogs and an area where they could still meet and sit with their friends and dogs to
socialise. Under this option, the Council would apply for a PSPO to exclude dogs fro
m the whole of the
Recreation Ground and the Community Orchard, with the exception of the areas specifically fenced off
for use by dog owners. The PSPO would also require dogs to be kept on a lead in the small seating area
provided adjacent to the play a
reas.
Option Three: Divide the Recreation Ground with a fence across its ful
l width, to separate the
Adventure Play Equipment Area including the small children’s and younger persons’ swings, from th
e
general play/ football area and the Community Orchard area. This option would allow dogs to enter the
general play/ football area. A PSPO would be used to exclude dogs from the area and equipment
within
the fencing and the Community Orchard area. Dogs would be allowed to access the general
play/football area.
Option Four: Provide specific fencing immediately around the Adventure Play Equipment Area and
small children’s swings only. Under this option, the Council would apply for a PSPO to exclude dogs
from the more compactly fenced Adventure Play Equipment Area and small children’s swings only
and
the Community Orchard. This option would allow dogs to enter the general play/football area only.
Irrespective of the option eventually selected for implementation, the Council could also consider
whether the PSPO should require any dogs accessing the Buryfields Recreation Ground under options
Two Three or four, to be kept on a lead.
Ellie Chowns drop-
in NOTE CHANGE
OF DAY
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