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Sunday, April 28, 2013

Cafe Broken In to this week

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A pair of Jays seen in the park this week normally they are very timid but this one stayed close for a long time first time this year they have been seen

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The cafe has  had a major clean this week to get rid of Starlings mess but on a few occasions this week it has been broken into with windows smashed. There has been very little stolen as there is nothing of value in there but it effects the business having these problems.

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Its been a bad year for the daffs on the main drive a very poor show this time and some of the beds havent done very well but the ones near the lodge are a nice display this time.

Sunday, April 21, 2013

Wind Damage

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The starling have been making a mess of the trees near the lake for a while they all smell and it has been slowly killing the trees the wind chopped in and destroyed a lot of the branch's the birds had ruined. It look like some of the trees will  have to be cut down.

There is get together to discuss Friends Group Activities and Fund Raising before the season gets under way.

Hope you'll be able to join us on Tuesday 23rd April from 5.30 in the West Lodge.

This will be an informal meeting to arrange dates for any stalls etc we might be able to run over the next few months - so bring along any ideas for new games and activities!

Monday, April 15, 2013

Crazy Golf

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We have a new facility at the park Crazy Gold outside the cafe and its already a big hit with the kids. With kids still off school and a few nice days its proving very popular.

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On the wildlife front the grebe are trying to build a nest on one of the new platforms so lets hope we get some more babies this year. We are getting a lot of wild life we havent had before with 4 greylag geese, goosanders and tufted ducks. This week the first Jay of the year was spotted as well

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Monday, April 8, 2013

Dangerous dog attack puppy Jax in the Queens Park

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Monday @ 2 oclock I was standing by the Gulf War memorial in the park talking to a lady with a Yorkshire terrier and another man watch by the gardeners. A larges German Sheppard came towards of the lead both are dogs were on leads. I explained to the owner dogs must be on the lead in the park. The next minute his dog savagely attacked the lady ran for her life fearing for her dogs safety. Fortunately my puppy is an Alaskan Malumute and was able to defend his self while the man made vain attempts to stop his dog. He eventual got hold of his dog but became abusive and still refused to put it on a lead despite being shouted at by the gardeners and walked off shouting abuse with it still off the lead there were 9 witness to the attack.

We went straight to the dog wardens office and explained what had happened and told them he was still in the park so they could catch him. In front of 4 witness they state.

Its not an offence for a dog to attacks a dog and wouldn’t do anything or call the Police.

The don’t patrol the park

The cant enforce not having a dog on the lead in the park even though its stated as a bylaw.

Its not the councils job to deal with this sort of problem.

We pointed to another dog running loose and they did nothing for 15 mins then drove round the dog was a 3 min walk away.

We want the dog wardens to undergo further training so they can do their job properly a quick look at the official Government site https://www.gov.uk/control-dog-public/overview

Shows it is a crime to have a dangerous dog loose, the council can enforce it and it is their responsibility. The site http://www.nidirect.gov.uk/controlling-your-dog-in-public

States Dogs which behave dangerously may be seized by the dog warden, and their owners prosecuted. The dogs may be destroyed if the magistrate considers that they are a danger to the public.

This man is a regular in the park and never has his dog on the lead he normally goes by the bandstand between 12:30 and 2 oclock as do many others off the lead. The posh man and women visit at these times of the day with a black Labrador off the lead and they claim the law doesn’t apply to them. As the children are off school still and the park is now used for young children for education purposes its vital the dog wardens get out of their offices and catch these people. If a child had been near when it attacked it could have easily been killed by such a big dog. Its noted by many users that a certain councillor visit the park every day and sets a bad example with her dog off the lead.

Overview From Government website

It’s against the law to let a dog be dangerously out of control:

in a public place

in a private place where the dog isn’t allowed to be (eg a neighbour’s house or garden without permission)

The law applies to all dogs.

Some types of dogs are banned.

Out of control

Your dog is considered dangerously out of control if it:

  • injures someone
  • makes someone worried that it might injure them

A court could also decide that your dog is dangerously out of control if:

  • it injures someone’s animal
  • the owner of the animal thinks they could be injured if they tried to stop your dog attacking their animal

A farmer is allowed to kill your dog if it’s worrying their livestock.

Penalties

You can be fined up to £5,000 and/or sent to prison for up to 6 months if your dog is out of control. You may also not be allowed to own a dog in the future.

If you let your dog injure someone, you can be sent to prison for up to 2 years and/or fined.

If you deliberately use your dog to injure someone you could be charged with ‘malicious wounding’. The maximum penalty is 5 years in prison.

Dog Control Orders

Local councils in England and Wales can issue Dog Control Orders (DCOs).

These mean that in public areas with DCOs, you may have to:

  • keep your dog on a lead
  • put your dog on a lead if told to by a police officer, police community support officer or someone from the council
  • stop your dog going in certain places - like farmland or parts of a park
  • limit the number of dogs you have with you (this applies to professional dog walkers too)
  • clear up after your dog

DCOs don’t apply to private land if you have permission from the land owner or person who controls the land.

Penalties

If you ignore a DCO, you can be fined:

  • £50 on the spot (a ‘Fixed Penalty Notice’)
  • up to £1,000 if it goes to court

You can’t be fined if you’re a registered blind dog owner.

DCOs in your area

Local councils must let the public know where DCOs are in place.

Example If dogs aren’t allowed in a park, there must be signs saying so.

If the council plans to put a new DCO in place, it must put up a notice and publish it in a local newspaper and on its website.

The notice must tell you:

  • where the new DCO will apply
  • if there’s a map and where you can see it
  • where you can write or email to have your say - you should have at least 28 days

After 28 days, your local council will decide whether to go ahead with the DCO or change it. If there are lots of changes, the council will publish another notice, with the same timescales.

Report a dog

Anyone can report a dog and their owner to the police.

You can report a dangerous dog to your council’s dog warden service.

You can also report dog fouling to your local council.

What makes the above more vital is the schools now use the park for teaching young children the photos below are of what they learn and a powerpoint document can be download

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Thursday, April 4, 2013

Destruction

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The destruction continues in the park with the starling still roosting and making a right mess. You can see the trees near the bottom of the lake are white with mess and its feared some of these trees may not recover from the onslaught. The dropping are a major problem with the smell and making the paths slippery but there is little to be done until they move on. 

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Over the week end the destruction continued in another form as vandals climbed on the cafe and bowls hut roofs pulling off lightening conductors and then proceeded to smash up one of the oldest bench's in the park and making  a mess of the bowling green while doing it. The bench is past repair if anyone has any information please contact the Police