A Burnham-On-Sea councillor has expressed fears that council funding cuts for the dog warden service could lead to a big increase in fouling of beaches and pavements.
Cllr Helen Groves, pictured below, said: “Sedgemoor is proposing to cut funding for dog wardens in Sedgemoor which I think is a disgrace. At the moment we have only two for the whole Sedgemoor area.”
“Dog fouling is an issue not only in our towns, but which the Environment Agency has made very clear will negatively affect the rating of the bathing quality of the water on our beach.”
Sedgemoor District Council spokeswoman Claire Faun told Burnham-On-Sea.com: “Sedgemoor is looking closing a gap of £760,000. As in previous years, there are a whole raft of budget proposals which have been – and are being – considered at the moment.”
“The detailed group manager proposals will be presented to the council’s Executive on 22nd January. Once the papers are published next Tuesday there will be a summary of what could be done to make the savings.”
“Within these proposals everything is put into the pot. It is for councillors to decide which savings to take. Results from residents from across the district wide budget consultation are taken into account. All political parties are at liberty to present their own proposals for closing the gap.”
The proposals will be public from 14th January then discussed initially at the council’s Executive meeting on January 22nd with a final decision expected due on February 19th.
Mrs Faun added: “Cllr Groves tried to raise it at a meeting this week, but was told that the high level budget proposals had already been to Executive and scrutiny committees. Within the high level proposals, group managers were asked to work up various savings within their service areas which could deliver a percentage reduction for their service areas.”
