A north London council has scrapped plans to create an enclosed area for dogs in the cemetery where the creator of Paddington Bear is buried.
A new rule which came into force earlier this year requires dogs to be on leads at all times within the grounds, but the local authority had been considering a secure space for dogs to be exercised off-lead.
In March, Brent Council implemented a total ban of dogs off leads in Old Paddington Cemetery in Kilburn as part of a borough-wide Public Space Protection Order (PSPO). It was done in order to tackle a number of complaints about dog behaviour on the site, including them defecating ‘on the graves of loved ones’.
The decision not to move ahead with the plan was made following the conclusion of a public consultation – which resulted in almost two thirds of the roughly 300 respondents opposing the creation of a designated space for dogs to exercise off-lead, according to Brent Council.
Concerns were raised about the suitability of having such an area within a cemetery, which some described as a “place for peace, remembrance, and reflection” and felt the noise and activity would impact on “quiet mourning”.
Other issues raised included the long-term management and enforcement of an enclosure for dogs – particularly in relation to “dog control, maintenance standards, and the possibility of misuse”. Brent Council has said it “remains committed to ongoing dialogue” about how best to accommodate dogs and their owners in public spaces.
Cabinet Member for Customer Experience, Resident Support and Culture, Cllr Promise Knight, said: “We are grateful to everyone who took the time to share their thoughts during the consultation period.
“We received a significant amount of feedback highlighting both a degree of support and concern. Ultimately, it became clear that the proposed enclosed dog area did not have broad enough support to justify moving forward.”
The existing PSPO requirements will also remain in effect, meaning a maximum of four dogs may be walked by one person at a time and dog waste must be picked up immediately and disposed of in the bins provided or taken away.
PSPOs are legal measures that impose conditions on public places where there has been a nuisance which has had a detrimental effect on the community. PSPO conditions apply to everyone equally. They are designed to enhance public safety and improve the quality of life for all residents. Breaching a PSPO is a criminal offence with fines typically starting at £100 but potentially rising to £1,000.
The new rules were meant to be rolled out in 2024 but were postponed after a petition signed by nearly 500 residents halted the plan. The petition claimed that “freedom to run and exercise” is crucial to a canine’s physical health and a ban would be “using a sledgehammer to crack a nut”. However, the measures were ultimately introduced in March following a consultation.
