Residents with canine companions are being encouraged to take part in a consultation to changes to dog controls in parts of the Suffolk coastal district, including Felixstowe beach.

Dogs are already banned from the beach from May and October between Arwela Road and near the Spa Pavilion, but Suffolk Coastal District Council is considering whether to enforce the ban for the whole of the resort’s coastline.

The council must also decide whether to make similar bans on designated areas of Aldeburgh beach from May to September a formal Public Space Protection Order (PSPO). Failing to clear up your pet’s dog foul would also be made a PSPO.

There are already by-laws in place which impose requirements on dog owners, but by making them PSPOs Fixed Penalty Notices could be issued to those who fail to comply. Other matters being considered are making it compulsory for dogs to be on leads on roadside footpaths and in pedestrianised town centre areas, sports grounds, cemeteries, churchyards and allotments.

Dogs could also be excluded from all fenced and gated children’s play areas and would have to be kept on a lead in parts of Shingle Street from May to September and a designated area at Landguard Point Nature Reserve to protect ground nesting birds and other wildlife.

Steve Gallant, cabinet member for community health at Suffolk Coastal District Council, said: “We’re making changes to our dog controls to ensure they are up to date to reflect today’s requirements and enable the use of Fixed Penalty Notices to help us deal more effectively with offenders. This isn’t about banning dogs everywhere. It’s about replacing the existing laws to protect specific places where problems have been raised, with a more effective way of ensuring people control nuisance dogs.

“The vast majority of dog owners exercise their pets in a responsible manner, but we need to make sure we have measures in place to take action against those who do not. Ultimately we want to ensure everyone can enjoy our public spaces, including dog owners, without people being bothered by nuisance dogs.”

Click here to take part in the consultation.