DOGS could be required to be on leads at all times in certain public places if a new protection order is issued.

Maldon District Council is set to carry out a 12 week consultation from the start of June into the proposals.

If approved they could amend their public space protection order to require dogs to be on leads at all times in the district’s cemeteries plus areas of Promenade Park and Riverside Park in Burnham.

There are also proposals to give officers power to order dog owners to put their dogs on a lead should they be causing disruption, and to have all council managed play sites be dog-free zones.

The orders can be enforced by police officers, authorised PCSOs, council officers and other designated groups, including officers under the Community Safety Accreditation Scheme.

Dogs would be required to be on leads on the sports pitches, lake and café areas of Promenade Park, and the sports pitches and adjacent quay front of Riverside Park, as well as the Maldon, Burnham and Heybridge cemeteries.

A report due to go before the council’s community services committee on Tuesday said: “As a local authority we want to continue to promote responsible dog ownership and to provide authorised officers with the tools and powers to educate and enforce where necessary.

“Having reviewed our current tools and powers as a response to complaints from the public we are proposing that there is an amendment of our existing order.” to include dogs on leads at the request of an officer, dogs leads at all times and dog exclusion areas.”

The consultation document, if approved, will be published on the council’s website on June 1.