Dog owner blasts beach survey form

7:00am Monday 3rd November 2008

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AN ANGRY dog owner has blasted a questionnaire compiled by Bournemouth council to gauge public opinion on controversial proposals to permanently ban dogs from part of the town’s beach.

Dogs are currently excluded from the beach between May 1 and September 30, except certain designated areas at Alum Chine, Durley Chine and Fisherman’s Walk through to Hengistbury Head.

Bournemouth council has started an informal consultation which could see the dog-free areas of the beach extended in the summer months and dogs barred completely from the main part of Bourne-mouth beach all year round.

Copies of the proposals and questionnaires must be returned to the Town Hall by November 14.

English teacher Mike Packham lives in Southbourne and walks his dog every day along the nearby beach. He collected a consultation form from the beach office to lodge his objections to the proposals.

Mr Packham told the Daily Echo that several of the questions were “unintelligible”, adding: “After studying the maps provided for 90 minutes, we still couldn’t make head nor tail of them.

“We have spoken to many other dog walkers and none of them understands this document either.”

He has now written to the council urging it not to make any decision based on “such a flawed document.”

Sarah May, the borough’s contracts manager for seafront and business development, said: “We have had more than 200 questionnaires returned so far and this is the only complaint that we are aware of regarding the informal public consultation document.

“However, we will be reviewing all consultation feedback questionnaires at the end of the consultation period and will take into consideration any other complaints that we do receive. We would like to assure people that there will be another opportunity to submit feedback and suggestions during a formal public consultation.”