OKEHAMPTON Town Council is looking to team up with Okehampton Hamlets Parish Council to try and combat the town's dog fouling problem.

At the town council's latest parks committee meeting, the council decided formally to contact the parish council and see if it would like to embark on a joint venture to tackle the issue.

The town council had been running a dog warden scheme to curb the actions of irresponsible dog owners in Simmons Park and other areas of the town.

The scheme proved effective in the park, but the council continued to receive a large number of complaints relating to dog fouling elsewhere in the town — North Street, Oaklands Drive, Baldwin Drive and Fatherford Lane being among the worst affected areas.

The council had been in contact with Tavistock Town Council to see if the two towns could create a joint scheme that would benefit both Okehampton and Tavistock.

Okehampton Town Council has now decided to try and work instead with the Hamlets on the issue.

Councillors were also critical of the West Devon dog warden scheme. Cllr Tony Leech said that 'the idea of going back to the West Devon scheme doesn't fill me with hope'.

As part of renewed efforts to fight the fouling problem, stickers will also be put on dog fouling bins to encourage people to pick up dog mess and dispose of it in the correct bins.