BLAENAU Gwent council issued just 14 fines for dog fouling offences last year, despite receiving hundreds of complaints.

Councillors have called for tougher enforcement as the authority agreed to renew public space protection orders for dog control offences at a full council meeting on Thursday. Fines of £100 will be issued to anyone caught failing to clean up after their dog across the borough.

The meeting heard a recent rugby match in Blaina had to be stopped several times to clear dog mess off the pitch.

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Cllr Lisa Winnett questioned if the authority could increase patrols to tackle the issue.

“People could lose their eyesight over it,” she said.

“It’s great we have got these protection orders but what is important is that we are enforcing these orders.

“We are not hearing of people being prosecuted for dog fouling anymore.”

Last year, the council received 352 complaints from members of the public relating to dog fouling in public areas - but just 14 fines were issued.

In 2017/18, the authority received 635 complaints, with 17 fines issued.

And the year before that, just 11 fines were issued – despite 348 complaints.

Cllr Malcolm Cross said the low number of prosecutions was “frightening.”

“Health and safety is paramount here,” he said.

“Our young children should be able to play in a safe manner.”

Richard Crook, the council’s corporate director for environment and regeneration, said it is “difficult to catch people.”

“We are trying to catch people and where we do catch people we will prosecute,” Mr Crook said.

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Mr Crook said it is also up to people to take up “community ownership” of their playing fields to keep them clean.

Cllr Garth Collier, executive member for environment, added: “The situation in Blaina is horrendous at the moment.

“It’s not acceptable what is happening.

“We need to put these orders in place so that officers can enforce them.”

The protection orders also identify dog exclusion areas – where it will be an offence to allow a dog to enter – and dog on lead areas – where it will be an offence not to keep a dog on a lead.

Last year five fines were issued for breaching dog exclusion orders, and 22 fines were issued for not keeping dogs on a lead.

Anyone breaching the orders can be fined £100, which if not paid can result in legal action and a fine of up to £1,000.