A NEW panel has promised to get tough on dog fouling in Craven - and its first move was to pay for a second dog warden to patrol the district.

Members of Craven District Council's dog control panel met for the first time to discuss ways of improving the dog warden service.

It will spend an extra £25,000 in this year's budget on tackling the problem.

Coun Paul English said: "Basically we have realised there is a dog problem. The dog control panel is here to look at what we are doing. Some things I think we do quite well, but there are a lot of things we are not doing which we would like to."

The panel decided to take a two pronged approach to dog fouling -punishing those found committing the offence and educating people by supplying facilities for the removal of faeces such as bags and bins and raising awareness of the consequences of the act.

"We don't have a problem with dogs, we have a problem with the owners," Coun Polly English added.

Members unanimously agreed to fund the extra dog warden.

Head of operational services Greg Robinson outlined the problems incurred during a trial period of employing a dog fouling enforcement officer.

"People don't understand how difficult it is to challenge people who allow their dogs to foul. It is a very confrontational situation. The dog warden can be subjected to abuse and threats of violence," he said.

He said that the current dog warden worked a 37 hour week but councillors would like to see a second warden working split shifts so that periods when people are likely to take their dogs out, early in the morning and late at night, would also be covered.

The two wardens could then work in tandem on some operations.

The warden would be provided by an outside company, and Mr Robinson is now in negotiations over hours, role, availability and transportation.

It was agreed that the wardens' priority would be issuing fixed penalty notices.

"I would be quite happy to have five dog wardens, one for each area," Coun Polly English said. "Hopefully in the years to come, we can go down that line."

It was felt that the majority of dog owners in Craven were responsible, and the problems were caused by the minority of residents and tourists coming into the area to walk their dogs.

The ideas raised will be looked into and then discussed further at the next meeting, to be held on September 22.

Measures proposed at the meeting were:

o A naming and shaming campaign, including listing those issued with a fixed penalty notice in the Herald. Mr Robinson said this may have legal implications.

o Following up all complaints made by members of the public.

In other authorities fixed penalty notices can be issued based on evidence presented by members of the public, but Craven chooses to only issue notices where the dog warden, or another authorised person, has witnessed the act.

Instead, they use information supplied by the public as intelligence to catch persistent offenders.

Mr Robinson said there were occasions when complaints were made maliciously, and that there was also a problem with people not coming forward due to fear of reprisals.

Coun Ken Hart argued that if the public were to act as watchdogs, the district would have 55,000 wardens, instead of two.

o They agreed to continue to supply free dog waste bags, although Coun Hart accused the council of becoming a 'nanny state'.

"I don't know why we have to spend thousands of pounds a year on these things, when they can take it home and put it in their own bins. They are laughing at us, let's hammer them," he said.

o Coun Marcia Turner suggested a joint approach with the new police community support officers introduced by North Yorkshire Police.

They have the powers to issue fixed penalty notices, and she suggested an incentive scheme to encourage more notices. But Coun Paul English felt it gave out the wrong signal.

o Coun Turner also proposed replacing the existing dog bins with new combined litter and dog bins which she had seen elsewhere. She felt these would be more resistant to vandalism.

Councillors agreed to review the bins in their own wards to assess whether their size and the frequency of emptying was appropriate.

o Coun Polly English suggested the council look into marking the pavement where there were "hotspots". This would involve a painted symbol on the pavement every two to three metres reminding people not to allow their dogs to foul.

o Coun Polly English also suggested posters should be sent to all ratepayers in Craven and hopefully people would be happy to display them in their windows.

"On two occasions I have had a large amount of dog muck deposited on the pavement outside my house. I made out my own notice, and it stopped it. I think there are an awful lot of people in Craven who would be willing to do the same," she said.

o Embsay parish councillor Trevor Kent, who attended the meeting, proposed that a symbol and slogan could be put on the council's franking machine.

o The dog warden would continue to visit local schools. It was thought that if children were educated into not allowing their dogs to foul, they would in turn 'nag' their parents to do the same.