A UK council has sparked fury as it plans to roll out a new £450 fee for dog walkers in parks. The charge would be imposed on small business owners. Bristol City Council, which has a Green Party leader, Tony Dyer, proposed the roll out of licensing fees, forcing those using public green spaces as part of their work to pay up. People affected would include yoga teachers and dog walkers, who would have to fork out £450 to use one park, or £900 for multiple.
The measure has been described as a “desperate cash-grab”. Bristol is home to many green spaces, including Ashton Court Estate, the Blaise Castle Estate, the King Weston Estate and the Stoke Park Estate. Large open areas include the Downs – where some residents have taken to living in caravans due to huge rents – and the central Castle Park. The policy has been put on hold in the face of a major backlash from residents and politicians.
Tom Renhard, a councillor and leader of Bristol Labour, told the Telegraph: “If the Green-Lib Dem administration wants more funding, it needs to look elsewhere.
“With little to no notice, they are once again making a dog’s dinner of an ill-thought through and unworkable proposal that hurts working people.”
He added that the move was “barking mad”, and will not raise much money while negatively affecting people’s livelihoods.
Cllr Renhard called on the paused policy to be scrapped completely, adding that this would be “the sensible thing”.
But Mark Weston, the leader of the Conservative group, highlighted that the payment was initially suggested by Labour in 2021.
He added: “We should be encouraging people to use our outdoor spaces, getting outside, being healthy, and using them, rather than trying to penalise small businesses which are simply trying to make a bit of money in a fairly dark economic time.”
The fee idea should be chucked into “the dustbin of stupid political history”, the Cllr Weston said.
In March, residents told the Express that they have lost faith in the Green Party after it took control of the council’s leadership.
A flashpoint occurred in January when police were called to a stand-off as contractors tried to install infrastructure limiting traffic in the relatively deprived area.
Melissa Topping, 54, a volunteer, is usually a Green voter, but thinks the party’s first few months in power have been “appalling”.
She said: “They don’t seem to be doing anything for Bristol itself other than themselves.
“They’re not listening to anybody.
“They’ve got their green agenda, and they’re completely ignoring what that’s going to do to lives – the disabled, the elderly.”
The Express has contacted Bristol City Council for comment.