TOWN councillors in Brightlingsea are being given the power to hand out on-the-spot fines to people who let their dogs foul public areas.

Sixteen councillors have agreed to patrol the town’s pavements on the lookout for irresponsible dog owners.

They will be allowed to hand out £50 on-the-spot fixed penalty notices to owners who fail to clean up after their pets.

They are also being given the power to take witness statements which could be used in court proceedings, at which offenders could face fines of as much as £1,000.

Tendring Council has been training the councillors as part of an initiative to increase the number of dog wardens covering the area.

It says if the scheme is successful in Brightlingsea, it could be offered to councillors in villages and towns right across the district.

Chris Kitcher, Tendring Council’s acting head of environmental services, said: “This means we will have at least another 16 pairs of eyes operating in the Brightlingsea area, and people who will be ready to report offences.

“This collaboration with Brightlingsea Town Council should really help make a difference there.

“We applaud the council for wanting to get involved to help improve the environment in its own community.”

Tendring Council employs two full-time dog wardens, covering the entire district and has put up 1,000 dog waste bins.