General

New enforcement powers will target irresponsible dog owners
Dog owners are being urged to take heed of new enforcement powers introduced across Daventry District to tackle the issue of fouling in our parks and open spaces.

The new Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) introduced by Daventry District Council is designed to target the small number of irresponsible dog owners who persistently fail to pick up after their pet, creating a mess as well as a health hazard.

The PSPO, which came into force on December 1, means dog walkers risk a £100 fine and potentially prosecution if they fail to:

• Pick up their dog’s poo
• Carry the means for picking up their dog’s poo while on a walk
• Stop their dog from entering a fenced-off playground
• Place their dog on a lead when directed by a Council officer
• Put their dog on a lead in the area around the visitor centre/café at Daventry Country Park

The decision to implement the PSPO was made after a public consultation revealed strong support for it.

Enforcement of the PSPO will focus on education at first, with people who fall foul of the new rules reminded of their responsibilities as dog owners by Council enforcement officers.

However the new powers will be fully exercised from January 1, so dog owners are being urged to make sure they have plenty of poo bags with them.

Cllr Mike Warren, Health and Housing Porfolio Holder on Daventry District Council, said: “Every year our Council receives more than 100 complaints about dog fouling, which poses a real health hazard, especially to young children.

“We’ve introduced a number of innovative ideas and campaigns to tackle the problem, and those have proved effective in the main. But we still have a small minority of persistent offenders that we are keen to stop.

“This new order gives us greater powers to take effective action those irresponsible dog owners who do not pick up after their pets.

“Our initial priorities will focus on raising awareness of the new powers among local communities and to educate dog walkers about the issues. We will be advising them to make sure they have extra poo bags with them at all times to ensure they have the means to pick up, regardless of how long they’ve been out and about with their pet.

“These new powers are not intended to penalise the many responsible dog owners in our District, who should be assured that our officers will be taking a common-sense approach on their patrols. It’s not unreasonable though, for example, to expect someone who has just arrived at a venue to walk their dog to be carrying poop bags.”

People can find out more about the PSPO at www.daventrydc.gov.uk/dogfouling

Christmas 2015 waste and recycling collections
Households across Daventry District are being made aware of Christmas and New Year arrangements for waste and recycling collections.

Christmas Day (Friday, 25 December)
There will be no collection on Christmas Day and instead ONLY those properties affected will receive a collection of their recycling and food waste on Sunday, 27 December.

Boxing Day collections (Saturday 26 December) – There will be a recycling and food waste collection on Saturday, 26 December, but brown bins will not be collected.

New Year collections (Thursday, 31 December and Friday, 1 January) – Black bin, recycling and food waste collections will take place as normal.

Black bins – Over Christmas and New Year, black bins will continue to be collected as normal on their fortnightly cycle. Please make sure you recycle as much as possible as excess side waste and bins with raised lids will not be collected.

Brown bins – From 21 December until Monday, 18 January 2015 brown bin collections will be suspended for households in Daventry District. This will enable crews to focus on collecting extra recycling. Please refer to your collections calendar as to when your brown bin will be collected next.

Recycling boxes and food bins – these will continue to be collected weekly for all properties on their scheduled collection day. There are alternative recycling arrangements for households scheduled for a Christmas Day collection (Friday 25 December ).

Extra recycling
Large cardboard will be collected from Boxing Day (26 December) until Saturday, 9 January inclusive.
If you have large cardboard and it won’t fit in your recycling box, please flatten it as much as possible and place next to your boxes on your collection day. Please do not place it inside another cardboard box.
You can also put out other extra recycling for collection over Christmas.
If you have more recycling than your boxes can hold, please continue to sort your items and place them into clear or white bags next to your boxes (not black or green sacks)

Real Christmas trees – Christmas trees will only be collected when garden waste collections resume district-wide from 18 January, 2016.
Please put your tree out next to your brown bin on your scheduled collection day from this date, or alternatively take it to your local household waste recycling centre. Find your nearest at www.daventrydc.gov.uk/recycling
Please note there are no parish collection points of Christmas trees in Daventry District. Any trees found in public places will be treated as fly-tipping.

Check your collection calendar – In December last year we sent you a waste and recycling calendar with collection dates for the 2015 and 2016 two-year period which we asked you to keep for future reference.

If you no longer have this calendar you can download a replacement from our website at www.daventrydc.gov.uk/recycling or call us on 01327 871100.

Please note there are no changes planned to your existing collection day or schedule in 2016.

Reporting a missed bin over Christmas and New Year
Daventry District Council’s offices and Contact Centre will be closed from Friday, 25 December 2015 until Monday 4 January 2016.
During this time waste and recycling services will continue and you can report a missed bin collection on our website at www.daventrydc.gov.uk.

Your Christmas Waste Collection Calendar can be downloaded here

Bulb Planting is on Sunday 11th October, starting at 2.00pm.  If you would like to join in with the bulb planting please can you meet in the  Library & Community Centre Car Park just before 2.00pm.
Bring a spade and your family.  Bulbs and plans provided.

The Parish Council audit for the year ending 31st March 2015 is now complete.  If you wish to see a copy of the Annual Return please contact the Clerk on 01933 682447 or email clerk@brixworthpc.org.uk.

Conclusion of Audit Notice