Has anybody seen the Dog Poo Fairy?

In these winter months, the dog fouling in West Bergholt becomes a large issue so obviously some villagers do believe in the dog poo fairy! Children and other villagers are having to dodge large amounts of dog waste on our pavements; it is both unsightly and incredibly unhygienic. Not only does it pose a significant health risk it causes a lot of distress for children if they step in it on the way to school.

A Legal Obligation

As a dog owner, it is your responsibility to pick up its’ poo, whatever Continue reading “Has anybody seen the Dog Poo Fairy?”

June 28, 2015June 28, 2015

Essex Police & DogLost

Essex Police, in collaboration with DogLost, are running a campaign to help reunite dogs with their owners however, preventing their loss in the first place is a better outcome all around and so they also offer the following advice:

Don’t tie your dog up outside a shop.
Don’t leave your dog alone in the car.
Make sure your dog has been micro chipped (from April 2016, your dog MUST be chipped).
Your dog should always wear a collar and ID tag with your name and address on it. Avoid putting your dogs name on the disc.
Take clear photographs of your dog from various angles, and update them regularly. Make a note of any distinguishing features.
Vary your times of walks and routes; some dogs are actually targeted and snatched during walks.
Fit a bell to your garden gate so you hear if anyone opens it.
Keep your dog in view in the garden, don’t leave them unsupervised.

If the worst happens and you have a lost or stolen dog:

Report stolen dogs to the police as soon as possible by calling 101.
Register your lost or stolen dog free of charge with www.doglost.co.uk or call 0844 800 3220 and access their help page for advice.
Contact your local dog warden.

May 11, 2015May 11, 2015

Free Dog Chipping

The Safer Colchester Partnership are offering free dog chipping in the Colchester Exhibition Unit which will be located at School Road Green Space, Monkwick, CO2 8NN on 26th May between 9:30am and 2pm.

Local wardens will either chip them then and there or, if it isn’t convenient, issue you with a voucher to be used at a later date (booking an appointment for a warden to visit). If your dog hasn’t been chipped it makes sense to follow well know dog trainer Cesar Millan’s advice, especially when the chipping is free:

I think it’s so much safer than other forms of identification. If your dog gets lost, he might lose his collar and tags; if your dog is stolen, the thief might remove his collar and tags. With a microchip, you can help people who find your dog find you and if someone else says it’s their dog, you can prove the dog is yours.

They make some neat stuff that works with your dog’s microchip, too. Like a pet door that recognizes your dog’s chip and lets him into the house (but not the raccoon that comes by later). The microchip won’t track your dog though. Your dog has to be taken somewhere to be scanned.

… not that we need to worry about too many racoons in Colchester.

As well as chipping, there will also be an ‘advice surgery’ on dog’s behaviour, so come along and talk about him if your terrier is a terror.

March 25, 2015

Environment & Highways – 12th March 2015

The Environment & Highways Sub-Committee of West Bergholt Parish Council met on 12th March 2015 when they discussed a range of issues including village handymen, beacon, potholes, dog poo and footways.

Environment & Highways Report

Sub-committee Meeting held on Thursday 12th March 2015 in John Lampon Hall

Councillors present	Harry Stone, Jenny Church, Phil Walby, Rosemary James
Apologies	Rachel Howard, Murray Harlow.

1	Village Handyman
	Road signs have been cleaned by Steve. Harry has held a Performance review with Steve.Ivor is arranging to cut the hedge at the Methodist Church.	HS
2	Traffic Safety Plan
	All proposed yellow lines and road signs and 20mph limits have been signed off. The yellow lines apparently will be done in April and the speed limit signage in July.
3	Potholes
	Potholes and surface problems in Chitts Hill highlighted. Ask for resurfacing in the future.Potholes and surfacing in New Church Road needs attention.Hall Road problems have been somewhat alleviated by hedging and ditching. Potholes need attention. The road leading up to the Old Church would benefit from the sweeper.	HS
5	Dog fouling
	A dog bin has been ordered for the Brewery site. An item for the March Bulletin has been sent in encouraging dog walkers to help keep the village clean.Phil will meet with Marcus and the dog warden on Friday 13th to discuss problems.	PW
6	Beacon
	Steve is arranging for a pole to be bought and the sign will be placed near the Village sign at the area adjacent to junction of Chapel Road and Colchester Road. Ivor to be asked to assist Steve with transporting beacon to the site. Brian Butcher to monitor site for placement.	HS & BB
7	Areas of work in village
	Agreed to produce a map showing sites of our responsibility in the village.	HS
8	Footways in village
	A resident has proposed that a footway along the Nayland Road would make it safer for children walking to school. It seems unlikely that money will be available for this as a project.
9	Grit spreader
	Although the grit spreader has not been required for snow clearance this year, it is not functioning efficiently. Harry to contact Tuckwells for solving the problem.	HS
	Date of next meeting – to be notified

February 20, 2015

Environment & Highways – 12th February 2015

Environment & Highways Report

Sub-committee Meeting held on Thursday 12th February 2015 in John Lampon Hall

Councillors present	Harry Stone, Murray Harlow, Jenny Church, Phil Walby, Rosemary James
Apologies	Rachel Howard

1	Village Handyman
	Harry to meet with John Gili Ross and Val Walsom regarding Performance Management review.
	Ivor to contact Andrew Wilkes to arrange cutting of hedge at Methodist Church	HS
2	Village Ponds
	Carla from the The Conservation Volunteers has been contacted. Because of weather conditions this pond will be cleared later in the year.	JC
3	Traffic Safety Plan
	Apparently the introduction of yellow lines and 20mph signs for New Church Road and School Lane have been agreed but we await a date for these to be put in place.	Agenda Item
4	Potholes
	Many potholes in the village have been marked for repair. We are waiting for the work to be carried out. Problem with drain cover in John Lampon Close has been reported.
5.	Dog fouling
	A dog bin has been ordered for the Brewery site. An item for the March Bulletin has been sent in encouraging dog walkers to help keep the village clean. Marcus is contacting the dog warden. To ask Marcus to request some new dog fouling notices that we can put in strategic places in the village.	JC
6	Beacon
	Steve is arranging for a pole to be bought and the sign will be placed near the Village sign at the area adjacent to junction of Chapel Road and Colchester Road. Ivor to be asked to assist Steve with transporting beacon to the site.	Agenda Item HS
7	Areas of work in village
	Agreed to produce a map showing sites of our responsibility in the village.	HS
8.	Noise abatement
	A problem with noise near Queens Road is not apparent at the moment. Phil will monitor this in spring/summer.	PW
9	Hall Road
	A complaint has been received regarding flooding here. The ditch to the east side of the road has been cleared. To monitor flooding when next heavy rain comes. Potholes have been marked for repair by ECC Highways Dept.
	Date of next meeting – Thursday 12th March 2015 in JL Hall

January 23, 2015

Environment & Highways – 8th January 2015

The Environment & Highways Sub-Committee of West Bergholt Parish Council met on 8th January 2015 to consider a range of issues and decisions affecting the general environment and highways within West Bergholt. Updates on traffic safety, village ponds, pot-holes, dog bins & poo, beacon, & grass cutting. The formal report to the Parish Council is as follows:

Environment & Highways Report

Sub-committee Meeting held on Thursday 8th January 2015 in John Lampon Hall

Councillors present	Harry Stone, Murray Harlow, Jenny Church, Phil Walby
Apologies	Rosemary James, Rachel Howard

1	Grass verges
	Grass verges need cutting/trimming/tidying. This will be arranged when weather permits	HS
2	Village handyman
	The use of a chit book needs to be made to work efficiently. We do not always know when Steve has completed jobs. Harry to follow this up.	HS
	There is going to be an appraisal system for employees instigated.Methodist Church has requested help with hedge cutting. Harry to arrange for Ivor to do this.	HS
3	Village Ponds
	Lexden Road and Queens Road ponds have been cleared by TCV and the vegetation removed by Norhurst. Both are looking really good. Hall Road pond needs attention. Jenny to contact Carla Davis.	JC
4	Traffic Safety Plan
	20mph signs to be put in place along New Church Road and School Road in February. A message from Sonja Church to say the yellow lines will be installed anytime now.	Agenda item
	There has been a problem in New Church Road by the new houses being built as the builders have been parking their trucks and lorries and creating a problem at school time in the mornings.
5.	Potholes
	There are problems at various places in the village. Highways need to be informed.
	A drain cover uplifting is a problem in John Lampon Close. Harry will report this.	HS
6	Dog bin
	Check with Val about the order of a bin for Brewery site.
	Problem with dog fouling in the village. Complaints have been received. Plan to organise an “anti-dog pooh” campaign in February. Item for bulletin, posters.	JC & MH
	Ask Marcus to refer to dog warden at CBC	HS
7	Beacon
	Now to be installed by village sign at end of Chapel Road by Steve. The wording for a plaque agreed. John Gili Ross will arrange this.	Agenda item
8.	Grass cutting
	Sub-committee agreed to carry on using our current arrangements for grass cutting
9	Areas of work in village
	Plan to produce a map showing sites of our responsibility in the village.	HS
10	AOB
	a) Noise abatement team from CBC have been called out but unfortunately the PC hasn’t been informed of this. It would be useful for us to know.
	b) The rangers from CBC are asked to carry out tasks but we never can be given a date and we are not informed when the work is completed.
	Date of next meeting – Thursday 12th February 2015 in JL Hall

November 12, 2013February 15, 2019

Poo problem – dog fouling

There are often complaints about the problem of dog fouling in the village. Most dog walkers do take responsibility for clearing up after their dog and it is the few who don’t that create a bad image for all the others.

There was a problem recently at the doctor’s surgery. A dog had been allowed to foul just outside the surgery and an unwary visitor had trodden in it and then unbeknown walked it through the surgery. This was a very unpleasant task for the staff to clean up afterwards as well as a hygiene issue.

All dog walkers should have, by law, a plastic bag with them and use this to pick up the poo and place in one of the many dog bins strategically placed around the village.

Dog mess on the pavements, in the hedgerows or on the streets is very unpleasant, unhealthy and unnecessary.

Please remember that no dogs are permitted on the Lorkin Daniell Field and this includes all areas around the Orpen Hall. Dog wardens will apply fines for offenders.

PLEASE ALWAYS CLEAN UP AFTER YOUR DOG