Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) information

The Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) came into force on 20 October 2017 for a duration of 3 years.

PSPOs were introduced in the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014. A PSPO is designed to deal with a particular nuisance or problem in an area. The behaviour must be having a detrimental effect on the quality of life of those in the community, it must be persistent or continuing and it must be unreasonable.

The PSPO can impose restrictions on the use of that area which apply to everyone who is carrying out that activity. The orders are designed to ensure that the law-abiding majority can enjoy public spaces, safe from anti-social behaviour.

Regulation 2 of the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 (Publication of Public Spaces Protection Orders) Regulations 2014

Ribble Valley Borough Council’s Dog Control and Dog Fouling Public Spaces Protection Order 2017 expire on 20 October 2023.

You can now have your say on Ribble Valley Borough Council’s enforcement of dog fouling and control issues across the borough. The PSPO enables the Council to undertake enforcement against issues such as dog fouling and out of control dogs and a three-year extension is being proposed following this period of public consultation in accordance with Section 60 of The Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014. Follow the link to take part in the Consultation on Dog Control Public Spaces Protection Order 2023 Survey.

Further information is available on powers to control dogs and PSPOs.

Why Dog Control Orders have been replaced

The Dog Control Order legislation expired in October 2017 and a PSPO has been used by many other local councils in England to replace Dog Control Orders.

We believe that by introducing a PSPO we can build on the effectiveness of the previous Dog Control Orders in Ribble Valley and create a fair and consistent approach when dealing with issues.

How PSPOs differ from Dog Control Orders

There is no change in location compared to the Dog Control Orders.

The PSPO has also allowed us to introduce a requirement for a dog walker needing to possess the means to pick up faeces if asked to by an authorised officer.

PSPO exemptions and public rights of way

The PSPO would not apply to a registered blind person or someone who has a dog trained by a charity to support a person suffering from mobility, manual dexterity disability or deafness. A dog that is working on the land with the consent of the person in control of the land and a person in control of police or rescue dogs on official duty would also be exempt.

Dogs will not be prohibited from public rights of way, however there may be a requirement to keep dogs on leads in certain areas such as cemeteries, or excluded from children’s play areas or sports pitches.

Responsibilities of dog owners

Owning a dog can bring great happiness but also places a lifelong responsibility on the owner to ensure that the dog is not a hazard, a health risk, or a nuisance to other members of our society. Unfortunately some owners do not take a responsible attitude towards dog ownership and as a result we receive a high number of complaints a year covering a range of issues such as noise nuisance from barking or uncollected dog faeces.

We need to balance the needs of those in charge of dogs with the interests of those affected by the activities of dogs, bearing in mind the need for people, in particular children to have access to dog free areas and areas where dogs are kept under strict control.

PSPO penalties

If you ignore a PSPO, you can be fined, £104 on the spot (a Fixed Penalty Notice) or up to £1,000 if it goes to court.

You can’t be fined if you’re a registered blind dog owner.

Enforcement of the Order

Fixed Penalty Notices can be issued by any of our Enforcement Officers or by Police Officers or Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs).

We are not an authority which aims to issue large numbers of Fixed Penalty Notices. Our preferred and current approach is to encourage responsible behaviour and to issue Fixed Penalty Notices where this guidance is not adhered to.

Reporting dog fouling

We encourage you to report dog fouling as this will help us to identify hot spot areas and our enforcement teams will be able to take a more targeted approach.