Somerset Council says unpopular proposals to ease restrictions on where dogs can be walked on Burnham-On-Sea beach have been rejected.
Somerset Council has been consulting on proposed changes as part of its Public Space Protection Orders, which are the legal way that it can prosecute dog owners for dog control issues such as fouling and walking.
Burnham-On-Sea residents voiced their concern over council plans to relax the restrictions where dogs can be walked.
Somerset Council’s Executive has voted for changes at several Somerset beaches, however the restrictions will remain in place on beaches in Burnham-On-Sea after the proposals were deemed unpopular with local residents.
In Burnham-On-Sea, dogs will remain banned all year round between the jetty and The Pavilion, and will be banned between May 1 and September on the other sections to the north (between The Pavilion and Maddocks Slade) and to the south (between the jetty and the yacht club). Any dog owners allowing their dogs in restricted areas or failing to clean up after their pets could be fined up to £1,000.
Proposals rejected for these beach changes:
- Burnham beach area 1 (between the Jetty and the Pavilion): It was proposed to remove the current all-year-round ban on dogs on Burnham beach between the Jetty and Pavilion and only implement a ban during the holiday season (1st April – 30th September).
- Burnham beach area 2 (between the Jetty and the Yacht club): It was proposed to remove the current ban on dogs from 1st May – 30 Sept between the Jetty and the Yacht Club and therefore have no dog ban at any time of the year
- Burnham beach area 3 (between the Pavilion and Maddocks Slade and the north end of the sea wall): It was proposed to remove the current ban on dogs between the Pavilion and Maddocks Slade from 1st May – 30 Sept and therefore have no dog ban at any time of the year.
Councillor Federica Smith-Roberts, portfolio holder for communities, housing and culture, told a council meeting this month that there had been a “phenomenal” response to the consultation, with more than 530 responses from within the former West Somerset area and more then 120 from the former Sedgemoor area.
The PSPOs will be reviewed in 2027, and could be renewed for a further three years if the public approve.
