This is my story.
I have 2 small dogs and took them to the Nothe one morning. I parked near the small cafe and walked up the path adjacent to the Harbour. When I neared the top this U-drive van raced towards me and a man shouted across. I approached the van. I knew who it was straight away.
He was so het up, he wasn’t even able to show me the front of his badge. He got out and told me that the dogs should be on a lead to which I said that there was no sign where I had parked. One dog was by my side and I put her on a lead straight away. The other one had walked off.
The warden pointed to a sign in front of the toilet block which I could not see from where we were. I told him that there was no sign down the bottom where my car was. At that point he got aggressive in his manner, opened his van door and said, ‘Right, you are arguing with me, I will give you a ticket. Whats your address’. I refused to give it but said that I was going to make a complaint about his aggressive manner to a vulnerable disabled lady on her own. He then smirked and said that he would get my address when I sent in a complaint.
I emailed a complaint to his superior and she more or less told me that as an enforcement officer, he was entitled to behave in that manner. So I have now sent another complaint to the Head of Council, Jeff Cant. I am still waiting for a reply. I have not even had an acknowledgement. James Farquharson you could confirm this is the way your enforcement officers are to behave while carry out their duties employed by us the tax payers?
Mr Farquharson’s response:
‘Obey the law, while campaigning to have it changed, and there’ll be no issue: that’s democracy.
Meantime, you complaining about it to anyone who’ll listen is excellent promotion of the message that dog ownership does not confer a licence to do whatever you want.
Keep it up, you’re helping secure a better town, with more responsible dog ownership. Thanks.
Response:
Mr Farquharson I believe the lady said there were no signs where she parked her car! I believe she was highlighting unacceptable behaviour by a so called Warden! I believe her question to you has been ignored! I believe your response is excellent promotion of the message, councillors continue to find frighteningly aggressive and bullying behaviour acceptable towards the elderly and disabled!
As a result of this we are holding a meeting for all dog lovers meeting at 1pm 1st October 2017 at the Groyne Preston Beach Road Weymouth Dorset.
Linda Stevenson
