Plea for action on litter and dog mess

Dog fouling, broken glass and anti-social behaviour are affecting public areas in Craven Arms, councillors have heard.

Residents attended last night's Craven Arms Town Council meeting to discuss how dog mess and glass was littering playing fields used by many local groups.

South Shropshire District Council's monitoring and standards officer, Veronica Calderbank stressed that people could be fined for letting their dogs foul the town or for dropping litter.

She said: "Dog owners should beware. They need to pick up or they will pay the price. They will be given fixed penalty notices of £80 for doing this."

Shropshire county councillor, David Evans, said broken glass was also a big issue preventing the safe use of the fields.

Chairman, Councillor Neville Stephens, said: "Most dog owners are very responsible, but there are a few who think the law doesn't affect them. Residents are really getting tired of it."

Councillors discussed having designated public areas as no drinking zones, particularly around the picnic area, railway station and playing fields.

Ms Calderbank said the police already had the right to take alcohol from under-18s but the designated areas would allow them to ask people to stop drinking and take alcohol from them.

Councillors voted to put the issue on the agenda for their next meeting.