The PSPO: our response

Dear Friends,

You may remember the consultation on the LBHF Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) late last year; absolutely none of our suggestions and proposals have been taken into any account in the final version, and as a result it is as originally proposed. It has now been formally approved by LBHF (it covers all public spaces in the Borough, including the Scrubs), and now takes effect.

From the map below (red means no dogs, orange means dogs must be on leads) you will see that NO dogs are allowed in the woods nearest the Braybrook Street Playground, or the Playground itself; nor in the Linford Christie Stadium (LCS). And dogs have to be on leads in the central copse and the woods fairly near the Braybrook Street Playground.

We said in our response to the consultation that it was a mistake to ban dogs from LCS (requiring leads makes good sense there), particularly with the possibility of Thames Valley Harriers making the Clubhouse an improved café with lavatories, both open to all; we said that it was a mistake to require dogs to be on leads in the central copse, with the explanation offered that there was forest school activity there, which has (a) never been discussed/approved by the Wormwood Scrubs Charitable Trust Committee and (b) if it happens, is so rare that none of your Trustees have ever seen it happening. We suggested that this restriction should be limited to ‘while Forest School activities were taking place’.

Signs are now to go up explaining the PSPO, and the Law Enforcement Team (LET) are beginning their ‘advisory’ period before starting to enforce the rules – of which perhaps the most important to most of us are the limit of 4 dogs per professional dog walker. We suggested that professional dog walkers should not be allowed to get together to create “packs” of dogs which can be intimidating to even the keenest dog lovers. This has been implemented to restrict the number of dogs walking together to four, even when there are two or more humans with them. 

We remain unconvinced that there is sufficient LET presence to enforce any of the rules, old or new, about where dogs are permitted, picking up after dogs (and not leaving full bags on the ground) or the number of dogs with each human.

Alongside our frustration that our suggestions were disregarded, we worry that with LET likely to be unable to enforce the rules or catch the law-breakers, and that some rules - such as the one about dogs having to be on leads in an area where there isn’t even a forest school in place - are likely to be flouted daily out of sheer pique, will have then result that all rules are brought into disrepute.

Meanwhile, we see no prospect of a reduction in, or better control of, the packs of dogs with ‘professional’ dog-walkers which we know discourage so many people from enjoying and benefiting from the Scrubs.

Best wishes

Stephen Waley-Cohen

LBHF map showing restricted areas for dogs. Red: dogs not allowed. Orange: dogs allowed only on leads.