More staff to bolster push against illegal camping, dogs and parking

Published on 02 June 2023

Byron Shire Council’s Enforcement team is to be bolstered in response to concerns about illegal camping, parking and irresponsible dog ownership.

At last week’s Council meeting, Councillors agreed to allocate $250,000 for additional staff and a vehicle.

“Illegal camping has been a problem in the Byron Shire for many years but in places like Brunswick Heads and parts of Byron Bay, residents have had enough,” Byron Shire Mayor, Michael Lyon, said.

“With the addition of several new staff we can extend patrols and provide a more responsive approach to complaints, not just about illegal camping, but in relation to dogs and illegal parking as well,” he said.

“Byron Shire Council, when compared to other council areas in NSW, has high rates of dog attacks and people in the community are rightly tired of seeing uncontrolled dogs roaming on beaches, streets and parks,” Mayor Lyon said.

From 1 January to 31 December 2022 Council:

• Served 36 Notices and Orders relating to Menacing or Dangerous Dogs under the Companion Animals Act 1998. 
• Issued 100 Companion Animal related penalty infringement notices to the value of $42,655. 
• Successfully finalised 14 Local Court prosecutions in relation to a dog.  Fines and costs were awarded to Council totalling $17,500. 

Sarah Nagel, Manager Public and Environmental Services, said staff issued double the number of fines and undertook double the number of prosecutions for dog matters in 2022 compared to 2021 and this practice will continue.

“In many cases we find it’s not the dog that’s the problem but their owners who refuse to accept that their dogs, by law, need to be on a lead and controlled when they are on public property,” Ms Nagel said.

...ends