A POPULAR plan to tackle dog mess on Burnham’s seawall by insisting all dogs remain on leads has been abandoned.

Burnham town councillor Vanessa Bell has expressed her disappointment as the same council which suggested it as an idea then rejected it.

Councillor Bell told the Standard she was approached by members of Maldon District Council’s community protection team.

Following discussions she submitted plans for a public space prevention order specifically for this area.

It was hoped the move would help reduce the amount of mess by forcing owners to take responsibility for the deposits being left right in front of their eyes, rather than by pets running off into the distance to relieve themselves.

The suggestion was supported by Burnham Town Council but rejected by the district council.

Cllr Bell said: “It is extremely frustrating.

“Not only was the suggestion met with a largely positive response, but it was recommended by the community protection team, whose job it is to tackle this problem.

“It is another example of the right arm not knowing what the left arm is doing.

“They told me they were really looking forward to having that extra tool to help them reduce the issue.

“But the council have come back and said that there are enough things that are being don already, and they do not think it will change anything.

“If enough was already being done, there wouldn’t be a problem.

“People seemed to be really supportive of the idea but sadly it doesn’t look like it is going to happen.

Our view is that a lot of the dog mess that is being left along the seawall is caused by people having their dogs off the lead.

“The dog could be off around the corner doing its business and because they might have looked away they don’t notice or clean it up.

However, if the dogs are on the lead and close by it is harder for the owner to miss and harder to ignore.”

In October a new regulation was brought in to fine owners and the district council claims this is sufficient.

Richard Holmes, director of customers and community, said: “There is already new legislation in force.

“If however the PSPO was to tackle dogs running wild, causing a nuisance or getting onto house boats because they were off their leads, then a PSPO could be considered.”