Three Rivers District Council has U-turned on plans to ban off-lead dogs from Rickmansworth Aquadrome.
Proposals to expand a Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) to include the new rule had been advanced and were set to be signed off at a full council meeting on Tuesday, July 8, but were quashed after Liberal Democrat council leader Stephen Giles-Medhurst stepped in.
Cllr Giles-Medhurst said: “Having discussed the issue with some other group leaders and councillors, I asked that the item be removed from the meeting agenda.
“That means there will be no changes to the current [public space protection] order at this time.
“We will now review the order before we make any decision on future changes.”
Concerns were raised at a committee meeting last week by a public speaker and by Oliver Cooper, leader of the Conservative opposition group, that only seven responses had been received to a public consultation.
Cllr Giles-Medhurst said: “It is clear that the limited response to the formal public consultation in November and December last year was a concern to some residents.
“While this was promoted and the proposals were directly communicated to parish councils, including Batchworth Community Council, which covers the aquadrome, the police, the police and crime commissioner, Hertfordshire County Council and The Kennel Club, only the latter raised any comments.
“There are passionate views for and against further controls. However, it is clear that the council needs to consider all aspects before making any changes.”
At last week’s meeting, Cllr Cooper and his Conservative colleagues voted against the proposed PSPO expansion while Liberal Democrat councillors voted in favour. The existing PSPO, which remains in place, requires dogs to be kept on a lead in children’s play areas and near the aquadrome’s café, with anybody breaching the rules liable to face a £100 fine.
Council officers had said that the expanded rules would “balance the needs of the dog owners, other users of the site and the protection of the nature reserve, its fragile ecosystems, and to manage the risk of asbestos exposure”.
The expanded rules would have continued to allow on-lead dogs at the aquadrome.
After the council’s U-turn on the plans, Cllr Cooper said it was a “win for people power and animal power”.
He continued: “It was deeply illiberal of the Lib Dems to punish all dogs and all owners in this way.
“Three Rivers can already fine the small minority that don’t control their dogs or don’t pick up their dog mess – so it wasn’t clear to us what this ban was meant to address.
“Even proposing the changes after just seven people responded shows how desperate the council was not to hear public views.
“The council shouldn’t try to force through radical changes after such dismal engagement.
“I’m a crazy cat man myself, but we have to be fair to our four-legged friends.
“Dogs that can’t exercise properly can’t socialise and would be left climbing the walls.”
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