Around 150 angry residents, business owners and visitors attended the public meeting held at the Imperial Hotel on Thursday evening.
The meeting organised by Assembly Member Janet Finch-Saunders was called by the Member to discuss the huge number of complaints and concerns received in relation to the carrying out of enforcement procedures on dog fouling, litter, and Dog Control Orders.
As part of the evening’s discussion, the Assembly Member made a formal presentation, outlining much of the evidence she has gleaned from other authorities across Wales and over the border also.
Of particular outrage, was the comparisons drawn between all 22 authorities on the issuing of FPNs in relation to Dogs on Lead Orders. From 2015-16 and 2016-17, 17 local authorities confirmed that they had not issued a single FPN for someone having their dog off the lead. Vale of Glamorgan issued 4. Blaenau Gwent issued 34. And when the figures for Conwy County Borough Council were revealed at 492 individual FPNs issued for members of the public simply having their dog off the lead, there was a gasp from the audience.
Other residents spoke up about their harrowing experiences, having been, in their opinion, accosted in an unfriendly, intimidating and unreasonable manner.
Hoteliers there present, also gave their anecdotal evidence of visitors returning to their hotels, having been stopped by an enforcement officer, not knowingly having committed any environmental crime.
One member of the audience had travelled from Brecon to attend the meeting, having themselves been approached by two enforcement officers, for simply having her dogs off the lead, in an area where she believed it to be OK, and without signage – and has received two fixed penalty notices.
A disabled lady, in a wheelchair, tearfully told the Member and the audience, that she was very upset having received a FPN for her Assistance Dog in an area that she believed to be OK, as there was no appropriate signage. [N.B. Assistance Dogs are excluded from the Orders anyway!]
Other example came forward and the general consensus at the end of the evening was that many felt in fear of taking their dogs out for a walk.
Many were very confused as to where dogs are allowed to go and where they are not.
The overall consensus felt by those present was that the new Council and Cabinet must acknowledge the calls made by the Assembly Member, elected Councillors, and a large proportion of the public, and review the entire enforcement processes carried out on behalf of the authority.
As part of the evening’s presentation, a statement was read out on behalf of the Leader of the Authority, Cllr Gareth Jones. Audience members felt that the statement did not go far enough to address the many concerns felt, and that the Council Leader must now act to restore confidence with the enforcement procedures of the authority.
The Mayor of Llandudno, although not in attendance, also provided a short statement.
Recent media reports have stated that the Authority has now granted a two-week amnesty, however Cllr Louise Emery, in a statement to the audience, said that Cllr Mark Baker had instructed Council officers to instruct Kingdom from last Thursday to 'basically give people a second chance' - i.e. request that a person puts their dog back on the lead, and only issue a fine if the instruction is refused. Cllr Emery stated that this had been in place since last Thursday and would will run until 20th October 2017.
Janet Finch-Saunders, Assembly Member for Aberconwy, who organised the meeting, said:
“From the many who turned out this evening, and the overriding theme being one of intimidation, fear and general angry at both the Authority and the enforcement company used, it is fair to say that this issue is not going to go away unless these voices are heard and acted upon.
“I simply cannot think of any other local authority or county borough in the whole of the UK where such public anger has reached the media, social media, and is spoken about daily.
“Several audience members there present last night suggested that the campaign could gear up a step further, and there was even talk of a further protest demonstration right through the town.
“The reputational risk and damage to our wonderful visitor town and beautiful constituency – as there were people speaking up from all parts of my constituency – is a real concern. I believe, if left unaddressed, will also affect the good reputation of our local authority here in Conwy.
“Going forward, this simply must be a catalyst for change – and the sooner the better. I urge everyone to make their thoughts known in the forthcoming consultation, which the new Leader of the Council has now promised.”
N.B.
A number of local Councillors also spoke at the meeting – Immediate Past Mayor of Llandudno Cllr Carol Marubbi, Cllr Mark Pavey, Cllr Ian Turner. Not pictured – Cllr Louise Emery and Cllr Greg Robbins.
