COTSWOLD councillors are demanding more dog-waste bins in the district after seeing a rise in overflowing waste since the pandemic has began.

Opposition conservative councillors at Cotswold District Council has urged the council to increase the number of dog waste bins at local parks and also requested an increase on the frequency they are emptied. The motion came about after requests for extra waste bins were turned down by the council due to CDC services being at "maximum capacity".

Councillor Richard Morgan, said: "Willersey Parish Council have been asking for bins since February and they are being told the service is at maximum capacity. Blockley & Ebrington parish councils were told that even if they bought and fitted dog waste bins themselves, the CDC cannot empty them. Mickleton has the same issue and Tetbury Town council are emptying the bins themselves and storing the waste until CDC can come and collect".

Tetbury Town council took to Facebook back in January to address the issue. The post said: "The Town Council have contacted Cotswold District Council who has informed us that due to the pandemic and the number of staff who are either self-isolating or assisting in other areas, resources are being stretched which is why some of the bins are not being emptied on a regular basis.

"The Town Council will do all we can to assist Cotswold District Council and have requested that we receive the correct waste bags so we can empty the overflowing bins for the time being. Apart from being unsightly, the poo bags that some people decorate in the hedgerows, left on top or around the bins or in some cases where dog owners just leave the waste on the pavement for others to walk through is not only harmful for the wildlife but also a health hazard."

This issue will be raised at a full council meeting on July 14 after councillors tabled a motion to try and resolve the issue.

Councillor Julia Judd, said: "I am really hopeful that my motion will highlight the importance of this issue, and that the administration will immediately provide the necessary funding to bring this essential service up to the required level.

For more than a decade, we have been telling responsible owners to pick up after their dog, bag it and then bin it. It is obvious the council are now not holding up their end of the bargain. We do not want these dog waste bags being left in or around our local community, or worse still disposed of incorrectly and contaminating our other waste and recycling collection services."

According to national survey by the Pet Food Manufacturers Association, over 12 million of the UK population own a dog. The PMFA's covid-19 pet survey confirmed a staggering rise in pet acquisition, with dogs being the most popular animal companion bought during the pandemic, at 57%.