A  PETITION has been launched amid concerns over the potential banning of dogs from a memorial garden site in Flintshire.

Earlier this month, the Leader reported on the news that dogs looked set to be banned from the Maes Bodlonfa memorial gardens in Mold, as well as from the Rosie pool area in Wepre Park.

Flintshire Council’s environment and economy scrutiny committee has recommended to the authority’s ruling cabinet that those locations are added to the county’s public spaces protection order (PSPO).

PSPOs were one of a number of tools and powers given to councils and their partners in the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act.

Flintshire’s current PSPO covers enforcement against dog fouling which is the responsibility of the council’s Streetscene team.

A Fixed Penalty Notice of £75 can be handed to anyone officers believe to be guilty of an offence, which would be required to be paid within 14 days.

The consultation on adding the area by the lake in Wepre Park and the memorial gardens in Mold took place over the summer.

However, it has been met with anger from dog-walkers who regularly take their pets for a stroll at those parks.

Mold resident Nanette Davies has been visiting the Maes Bodlonfa gardens since she moved to the town back in 2009.

She is one of many locals who believe that other issues should have been addressed first.

As such, Mrs Davies has set up a petition opposing the ban, which has so far collected over 100 signatures.

Speaking to the Leader, she said: "I have seen Youths playing football in the middle of the gardens and vandalising the area. There are young people smoking cannabis in the park, yet it's the dog owners who get banned.

"I have spoken to a Flintshire council representative who says we have to wait three years to overturn this ridiculous ban if it goes through. We are not criminals we are responsible dog owners.

"The consultation took place and I gave my views as did others. I have been told that 510 people were in favour of the ban, with 121 against it - but these figures were for both parks. How an area like Wepre Park, which is 600-odd acres, can be compared to our gardens which are far smaller, I really don't know.

"My view is that most dog owners would be happy to keep dogs on leads, if it meant that that was a way around the ban. That way, people who are there to exercise or have a picnic and so on can live happily together with dog owners."

Mrs Davies, who has two Bichon Frises called Bobby and Daisy and a Cockapoo called Lenny, added: "For the last 10 years we have walked our Bichon Frises in the Memorial Gardens, twice a day. My husband and I have always picked up their mess.

"Post-Covid, people like us have been going to the gardens just to get out a bit with the dogs and have made great friends whilst doing so. This is going to have a massive impact on more than just dog walkers."

Mrs Davies held a meeting at the gardens with other dog walkers on Tuesday morning (September 19) where concerns were shared.

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During the scrutiny meeting of Flintshire council, Buckley Pentrobin Cllr Mike Peers suggested Kendricks Field in Mold as an alternative dog walking area - but Mrs Davies believes that site would be 'totally unsuitable'.

She said: "The main concern is the welfare of dogs. If we let them off in an area like Kendrick's field, then they would be running off in every direction onto Ruthin Road as it's not secured."

The scrutiny committee recommended including the Rosie and the memorial gardens in the updated PSPO.

If approved by cabinet, the PSPO will begin on October 29 after a notice period.