Agenda item

Alfie Kerrigan (Advisor to the Trust) presented the Law Enforcement Team (LET) Report, covering the following points:

• From 1^st April to 27^th November 2024, 1,536 interactions had been conducted on Wormwood Scrubs. 29 Fixed Penalty Notices had been issued for breach of the Responsible Dogs Ownership Public Space Protection Order (PSPO). Two community protection warnings had been issued to dog walking companies for breach of the PSPO.
• Community protection notice had been issued to one of these companies. Breach of this notice would result in additional fixed penalty notices being issued and legal proceedings being taken. The Safer Neighbourhood Police team had been informed about this and they would act and enforce accordingly.
• Other engagements taken place across Wormwood Scrubs included the removal and dispersal of recent rough sleepers. There was no traveller encampment lately, which was helped by the implementation of electric bollards on Scrubs Lane.
• The patrols would continue from the LET Day and Night teams with future and new operations being conducted to target antisocial behaviour on Wormwood Scrubs area and surrounding locations. Clare Willis had recently taken over as the other Senior Law Enforcement Officer.

Faye Thomas (Co-opted Member) asked what the penalty was for breaching the community protection notice. Alfie Kerrigan replied that it would result in legal action being taken, and the court could impose a fine up to £20,000. Ian Baron (Advisor to the Trust) added that the community protection warning would be issued first, but if the dog walker continued to breach it, the LET would gather evidence for issuing the Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN). The community protection notice would be issued afterwards, and if it was breached, the case would be referred to the legal team for taking legal action. This process could take a few months to a year. The community protection warning notice, which was a form of antisocial behaviour warning notice, stipulated that the person who did not comply with the PSPO would be banned from entering all open spaces, or they would have to obtain a dog walking license from Hammersmith & Fulham. If such a license could be produced, the community protection warning notice would be reviewed for allowing them back into the Scrubs and the borough.

In response to Councillor Bora Kwon’s question about when there could be an evaluation of the success of PSPO, Alfie Kerrigan replied that the team would collate some data and feedback to the Committee.

ACTION: Alfie Kerrigan/Ian Baron

Simon Ingyon (Advisor to the Trust) added that the PSPO was signed in June 2023 and would be in place for three years. The first year was mainly about educating the public on the responsible dog ownership issue. A review would likely happen in 2025, and a more formal one would take place in 2026 to investigate whether an extension of the PSPO would be sought.

Stephen Waley-Cohen (Co-opted Member) noted that some professional dog walkers were instructed to bring more than four dogs, which was beyond the limit of the PSPO, and some individual dog walkers would walk together. He suggested that licensed dog walkers should be reminded that they were not allowed to walk their dogs together. Ian Baron assured that when the LET saw that happen, they would ask the dog walkers to separate and if they failed to comply, issue FPN to them.

Stephen Waley-Cohen (Co-opted Member) was worried that the amount of fine was not a sufficient deterrent. Ian Baron responded that the LET would issue up to three FPN before moving to issuing community protection warning notices and formal notices.

Faye Thomas (Co-opted Member) raised the issue of dog walkers parking near the unfenced play area on Braybrook Street, which was within the area where dogs had to be on leads. Dogs would be released from the vans and run through the area with small children, where dogs were not allowed. She asked if there was anything that could be done to make dog walking companies understand which area they should not be in, such as circulating a map. The Chair pointed out that dog walkers’ compliance level varied and highlighted her support for installing a fence around the play area.

Councillor Dominic Stanton enquired who an FPN would be issued to if the dog walker was from a company. Ian Baron replied that the FPN would be issued to the company most of the time and a letter would be followed.

Stephen Waley-Cohen (Co-opted Member) enquired if it was possible to have a higher fine for people who disregarded the dog walking rules. Ian Baron said that all FPNs were set the same depending on what amount the borough set. The maximum fine was £1,000 but was currently set at £100 (£60 if paid within the specified timeframe). The maximum fine was £1,000 if the case went to court. The Chair agreed that this issue could be looked into further.

RESOLVED

The Committee noted the Law Enforcement Team Report.