Councillors to consider report into dog fouling and litter campaign

Newtown Town Council’s Services Committee will tomorrow evening (Monday) review its “A Safe and Tidy Town” project for approval, after two years of efforts to address litter and dog fouling throughout the town.

The report, prepared by the council’s Operations Manager, recommends marking the project as complete after “successfully identifying key partners, raising community awareness, and promoting public engagement to address litter and dog fouling issues within the town.”

It highlights a range of joint initiatives undertaken with Powys County Council and Keep Wales Tidy, including targeted visits to problem areas such as St Mary’s, Union Street, Llanfair Road, and Hospital Road.

“Residents and visitors in Newtown have long raised concerns about the ongoing issue of dog fouling,” the report notes. 

“Dog waste on our streets is not only unpleasant but also poses health risks to both people and animals. We kindly remind all dog owners to be responsible and make use of the many dog poo bins located across the town.”

To tackle the problem, the council worked with partners earlier this year on a series of inspections and awareness campaigns. “Members of the Services Committee, together with the Town Mayor, Pete Lewington, then Cllr Bryn Steer, James Thompson (Powys County Council) and Jodie Griffith (Keep Wales Tidy), carried out a morning inspection to highlight key dog fouling hot spots around Newtown,” the report says.

Bright pink chalk spray was used to draw attention to nearby dog waste bins, with extra signage and free bags provided to encourage responsible ownership.

The report also praises the continued success of community clean-up efforts. “Each year, the Economy and Environment Committee organises a series of community litter picks with stakeholders such as Powys County Council and Keep Wales Tidy,” it states. 

“This includes the well-established Tidy Newtown campaign, which encourages local volunteers to take part in organised litter picks to help keep the town clean and welcoming.”

The Operations Manager said that through its campaigns and partnerships, the project has achieved its purpose. “The initiative has built valuable collaboration with Powys County Council and Keep Wales Tidy while raising public awareness of the shared responsibility to keep our town clean,” the report adds.

The Services Committee will meet at 6.30pm on Monday evening at the Town Council offices, when members will discuss whether to officially close the project.