Dog fouling on the increase in Wooler

Resident Tracy Young contacted the parish council about setting up a community project to look at ways to stop the fouling.

Several ideas have been proposed, including logging hotspots, bigger signage, automatic dispensers and Facebook mapping.

Couns Shirley Mills and Rachel Sinton expressed an interest in getting involved, depending on the time commitment. Coun Mills mentioned an idea used in Scotland, where recycled pop bottles are turned into dog-bag dispensers.

Coun Anthony Murray said that dog fouling can be reported anonymously to the county council. If a name and address of a person leaving dog mess is known, the county council will act. A warning letter is sent, followed by a fine if the offence is repeated.

The clerk has contacted the dog warden to report an increase in fouling, but will do so again.