Dog poo problem creates a stink

The bins are specifically designed for dog walkers to deposit waste

CCTV cameras may be used to snoop on people using dog poo bins in an area of West Sussex.

Horsham District Council said there was a recurrent problem of some of the red bins being filled to overflowing.

A spokesman said anyone caught engaging in the foul play could be in breach of anti-social behaviour legislation.

He added that the problem was occurring at certain housing estates in the area, where bags of dog poo regularly ended up dumped around the base of bins.

The council's Ian Jopling said they suspected the bins were being misused by homeowners getting rid of large amounts of dog faeces from their gardens.

"They are in fact designed for walkers who are out with their dogs," Mr Jopling explained.

"We don't want overflowing bins because it messes up the emptying schedules.

They don't leave any identification behind Ian Jopling, Horsham District Council

"We have to do extra runs to take the waste away, and it's costing us time and resources.

"It's not the biggest issue but it's one of those niggly little things that causes operational difficulties."

Mr Jopling said council officers had talked to residents and dog walkers in some affected areas in order to clarify the purpose of the bins.

However, surveillance from a mobile CCTV unit could be "a last resort" to try to target persistent offenders.

"It's obviously difficult to identify them otherwise because they don't leave any identification behind."

Only five or six of the 250 dog poo bins across the district are regularly overflowing, but Mr Jopling said it was still "quite an emotive issue".