Agenda and draft minutes

There were no declarations of interest.

It was confirmed that the business of the meeting would take place in public.

The Cabinet Member considered a petition requesting a Dog Park in Dowding Park.

The lead petitioner, firstly, introduced himself as Chairman of St Andrews Park Residents Association, Director of a Resident Management Company, and a local dog owner. The lead petitioner provided an additional document which outlined possible plans for the dog park.

In requesting the construction of a dog safe area in Dowding Park, the petitioner put forward to the Cabinet Member suggestions and reasons for why one should be introduced. Key points raised by the petitioner included:

Constructing a dog play park had potential to increase the Council’s revenue stream by over £10,000 by being able to rent out space for a safe, easy, and reliable area for dog training locally.

Although the petition originally received 100 signatures, there were at least 150 to 200 dogs that lived within walking distance of Dowding Park that regularly used the park.

With potentially 1,000 new flats being built in Town Centre West, there could be 100’s more pets that would require a space for training and physical activity for enjoyment of life.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, pets were especially beneficial to residents for their mental health but were unable to socialise adequately due to lockdown guidance. The result of this was that some dogs developed a multitude of mental and physical health issues which meant they could not be left off-lead. The benefit to dogs of being off lead was the drive to exercise to their fullest ability which reduced their health risks.

There would be no harm to the environment or extra litter produced by constructing a dog play park because there were already waste bins at both potential exits of the dog park in areas requested by the petitioner that would add no additional waste-removal cost or resources to the Council. Existing waste bins would potentially only need to be collected on one additional day than the usual waste collection time.

To reduce the impact fences and gates would have on the aesthetic of the environment from constructing a dog park, natural water boundaries and tree lines could be used to line the dog park. This would also enable local wildlife to continue to have access to the dog park.

Dividing the proposed dog park into two sections, namely one for small dogs and the other for large dogs, would allow dogs contact with their own kind, as not all dogs would get along.

The financial impact on the Council of constructing a dog park would be mitigated by the income, physical and mental health benefits that would come from the residents and their pets who were also residents of Hillingdon.

Constructing a dog safe area in Dowding Park could provide ground for other parks in Hillingdon, since there were currently no dog parks within Hillingdon’s parks and open spaces. Although not classified as a dog park, there existed a dog safe area in Hammersmith and Fulham that was fully fenced off from cars, pedestrians and foreign objects  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

The Cabinet Member considered a petition requesting improved security and safety in an alleyway between Poplars Close and Ruislip High Street.

That the Cabinet Member for Residents’ Services:

1.         Noted the assessment carried out by Council officers on the potential viability of measures that could be introduced in this alleyway and the likely effectiveness of those measures in achieving the benefits sought by the petitioners;

2.         Noted that installing additional lighting in the alleyway would be a matter for the adjacent property owners who would need to consent, may not reduce anti-social behaviour and could have an impact in on neighbouring properties; and

3.         Noted the officer’s initial assessment that there was no suitable nearby lamp column upon which a CCTV camera could be installed which would provide adequate coverage of the alleyway without intrusion into private property.