Restrictions on dog fouling in Boston should remain in place, councillors say
Strict rules on dog mess in Boston – that can see owners slapped with a £100 fine for not carrying a poo bag – need to stay, according to councillors.
Members of Boston Borough Council’s overview and scrutiny committee have recommended that a public space protection order (PSPO) for dogs should remain in place in response to concerns for children’s safety and complaints over pet mess.
The PSPO covers the whole borough, has been in place since 2017 and is due to expire on October 1 this year. The council is recommending that it should renewed and remain in place for another three years.
Measures included as part of the rules include restrictions around dog fouling, the exclusion of dogs from fenced off children’s play areas and a direction to put dogs deemed to be out of control (or causing alarm or distress to members of the public) on a lead.
Dog walkers must also carry a poo bag with them at all times.
If someone breaches this PSPO, they could be issued with a fine of up to £100. This could be even more if the matter is taken to court.
At a meeting on Thursday (June 4), Coun David Scoot (Independent – Fishtoft) said: “I have three young grandchildren and the fact that dogs are not allowed into the safe play area, I think, is absolutely fantastic.
“Not all children are used to dealing with animals and certainly I’ve noticed, unfortunately, slightly more dog fouling on the pavements as I walk about now, so keeping the fines there and the restriction orders for those, I think is a very good idea.”
Coun Stuart Evans (Conservative – Swineshead and Holland Fen), who was chairing meeting, also backed the recommendation.
“Everything here seems really positive,” he said. “I really can’t pick anything in there that would say not to proceed for another three years.”
The PSPO relating to dog controls was introduced by Boston Borough Council in 2017 and has been subsequently extended every three years following consultation.
The council said it received 25 complaints relating to dog fouling in the 2025/26 financial year, with 40 complaints submitted from residents in the previous financial year.
A total of nine Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) for breaches of the PSPO were issued by the council for a failure to provide evidence of a means to pick up dog poo in the 25/26 financial year.
A further two FPNs were issued for dog fouling in the last financial year.
This compares with 15 fines for a failure of a means to pick up in the 2024/25 financial year and a further one during the same year for dog fouling.
But Coun Richard Austin (Independent – Wyberton) suggested that there needs to be more publicity around the council’s rules around dog fouling, and of the fines involved if people fail to follow these rules.
He said: “I think in the last 10 years, there’s been a tremendous improvement in the dog fouling situation.
“I think the general public have adopted the practice we’re advising extremely well in general. Certainly in places like Boston Woods – which has a huge number of dogs through it – it’s almost rare to see any dog fouling, so that’s great.
“The one thing I would suggest though is that a very low proportion of the population are aware that there is a statutory fine of up to £100 for not carrying some receptacle with you or some bag with you.
“I think that’s something that ought to have regular publicity on social media.”
Councillors were told that a public consultation had been carried out and the majority of residents who responded supported a proposal to continue the PSPO for another three years.
A total of 86 people responded to the council’s survey, with about 98 per cent of those supporting the continued use of Fixed Penalty Notices for the offence of failing to remove dog faeces from public land.
Meanwhile, about 95 per cent supported continuing to require dog owners to put their dog on a lead when requested to do so by an authorised officer.
About 94 per cent supported continuing to ban dogs from fenced areas of children’s play areas and about 85 per cent agreed with the proposal to maintain the amount of the Fixed Penalty Notice charge at £100 for breaches of the PSPO.
The survey results also showed that about 87 per cent supported continuing to issue Fixed Penalty Notices for the offence of failing to produce, on request, a means to pick up dog faeces.
The recommendation will be considered at a cabinet meeting at a later date where a final decision will be made.