Free dog waste bags scrapped to save cash

Town hall bosses have decided to stop providing free dog waste bags for pet owners across the borough.
The bags will no longer be freeThe bags will no longer be free
The bags will no longer be free

The bags had been available for collection at libraries and life centres around Wigan for several years.

But Wigan Council has now scrapped the provision and dog owners will have to buy the bags themselves.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

A spokesman said the council had spent more than £18,000 on buying the bags since April, with more money spent on distributing and delivering them to life centres and libraries.

Paul Barton, the council’s assistant director for environmental services, said: “It is part of being a responsible dog owner to pick up your dog’s poo. This includes taking responsibility for buying and carrying appropriate bags.

“Despite the withdrawal of the council’s free bag offer we expect responsible dog owners to continue to use their own supply of bags keeping the borough a clean and attractive place to live free from dog mess.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“Dog poo bags will still be distributed free of charge in limited amounts when our enforcement team are targeting specific problem areas.”

The council’s cabinet agreed to end the service at their latest meeting.

But is has led to complaints from dog owners who collected the bags from council venues.

One resident described it as a “truly shocking decision”, saying: “I think for the costs involved, this is an amazingly short-sighted retrograde step.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“Just when the council appear to have won the argument about the necessity for dog owners to poop scoop - and there are warning of prosecution signs on every lamp post in Standish along with plentiful dog bins -they apparently pull the rug from under the scheme by doing this.”

As part of the waste modernisation measures, the cabinet also approved plans for caddy liners for food recycling to be directly delivered to residents to increase recycling.

Instead of collecting them from libraries and life centres, residents can tie a caddy liner to the handle of their green bin on their collection day and crews will leave a new set for them during their round.

To get a new caddy via MyAccount visit www.wigan.gov.uk/MyAccount.