RESIDENTS must muck in to help Argyll and Bute win its battle against dog mess, councillors and officers have said.

Members of the council’s environment, development and infrastructure committee have pleaded for action after one councillor said the situation was getting “beyond a joke” in Rothesay town centre.

But others have called for residents to come forward and give information on people who are repeatedly failing to pick up after their dog.

Educational campaigns, following in the footsteps of other local authorities, have also been put forward as a possible idea.

Although the council does run a community warden service, posts within it were axed as part of the 2019/20 budget-setting process.

Isle of Bute ward councillor Jim Findlay said: “We are told that our streets are cleaner than in Greenock, but going by the comments at the area committee they certainly are not in respect of dog mess.

“We need to push hard to get environmental wardens back on track. It is getting beyond a joke in Rothesay town centre.”

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Jim Smith, the council’s amenity services manager, responded: “In terms of training wardens we have a significantly reduced resource. Wardens are fully committed.

“I ask members to seek out particular hot spots with dog fouling, as we need to catch the dog owners before we impose any penalty charge notice and it goes before the procurator fiscal if need be,

“If we have intelligence, or members have any details, we are happy to work on that basis. In some areas, members have worked with us and the police. We can use the resources we have more intelligently.”

Councillor Jean Moffat, who also represents the Bute ward,  added: “We are the biggest island in Argyll and Bute and we don’t have a warden.

“We share a parking and dog warden with Cowal and it is almost impossible for anything to be done about dog mess.

“It is a very serious situation and as a council we have to look at the policy. The warden numbers are down to four, and I am sure we are not the only place that is suffering in this way.

“Parking revenue has also gone down because people are of the opinion that with no warden, there is no need to pay for parking.”

Cowal councillor Gordon Blair added: “They had a campaign in Largs entitled ‘No poo on my shoe’, and at Battery Park in Greenock they have stuck flags in each one. Something has to be done through education.”

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In Helensburgh and Lomond, though, the community warden programme was not viewed as such a difference maker.

Councillor David Kinniburgh said: “Certainly in Helensburgh and Lomond, it made no difference to the number of tickets or fines being issued.

“Education is one of the routes to take, but one of the biggest problems I have heard is that people are very reluctant to come forward and report anything. There is a fear about reporting as people fear there will be consequences.

“But if we can convince them to let us know about people who are doing that type of thing regularly, it would be a big help.”

And Councillor Aileen Morton added: “Different area committees have many different experiences, but I have looked up dog fouling fines in Helensburgh and Lomond for the last few years and there are always spikes.

“It is a random question, but I saw a story regarding another council where police were prepared to take action if somebody took a photo of somebody sitting on a zig zag outside a school, or similar, with a date stamp.

“Is this something that could be discussed?”

Mr Smith replied: “The police will need some form of action with information from individuals.”

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