Barbecues and cars but no freedom for dogs - where will all this lead?

I’VE always thought that one of life’s simple pleasures is going out for a walk in the fresh air with my two dogs. It’s the excitement you see in their eyes as we cross the bridge into our local park. They almost can’t contain themselves as they reach the vast open space and look at me, waiting for that moment when I finally let them off their lead and they’re free to run off and catch up on all their smells, meet up with other regular canine visitors and relish in a game of fetch.

Last week it was revealed that this simple pleasure might soon be taken away.

The authority is reviewing something it calls a “public spaces protection order” which prevents all sorts of antisocial things from happening in open spaces, such as dog-fouling, lighting fires, driving motorised vehicles and drinking alcohol.

As part of the review, there’s potentially going to be some changes. Sensible things like banning dogs from play areas will remain an enforceable issue, as will drinking alcohol if you’re told to stop.

But then, dig a little deeper, and the proposals become a bit odd. In fact, they become absurd in some cases.

I kid you not, Derbyshire Dales District Council is considering, as part of its review, lifting a ban on dogs roaming freely around cemeteries and burial grounds. They currently have to be on a lead but, because there have been no reports of any breaches of this order, they’re tempted to do away with the restriction.

Oh, but it gets better than that. Because there also haven’t been enough reports of dogs fouling in cemeteries, they’re thinking of lifting that ban, too. No, really, they are.

Obviously, statutory restrictions remain in place to prevent owners from simply ignoring their pets’ “offerings” but, by not imposing an order, the district council is essentially saying it’s fine by them on their land.

And, because it’s too hard to enforce, they’re now thinking of allowing fires and barbecues to be lit in all their public parks, and vehicles will no longer be prevented from driving on to them and parking on them either.

All that got me a bit cross, but you should have heard the language I came out with when I read that my local park, the Fishpond Meadow area of Ashbourne that, for generations, has been a safe space for dogs to run free, socialise, chase a tennis ball or cool off in the river, could have an order imposed on it that would mean dogs will need to be on the lead at all times.

Why is this? You might ask. Well, your guess is as good as mine. According to the district council’s own report that accompanies the proposed new order, there basically hasn’t been a problem with dogs fouling, running amok, or anything.

Apparently, they’d be happy to allow people to drive on to the park and have a barbecue now, but if I want to lob a frisbee for Honey, or kick a tennis ball for Rupert, something that hasn’t generated a single complaint and is never likely to, I could be fined £100. Even though, by the council’s own admission, it’s completely unenforceable.

The good news is this isn’t set in stone yet. There’s a public consultation now under way to see what people think of the changes to the order. You’ll find it on the district council’s website, with a link on the home page.

I often find myself defending Derbyshire Dales District Council. While some of its decisions seem controversial, when you analyse them properly, they’re all done for the greater good.

But then it comes out with ideas like these. And I begin to wonder why I’ve ever bothered.

Because it’s too hard to enforce, they’re now thinking of allowing fires and barbecues to be lit in all their public parks.