Council backpedals on PSPO "crackdown" - but just ends up in the lake

Dacorum Borough Council says it is trying to save money, but at the same time it continues to waste Officers' time (and time is money) pursuing it's confused and unworkable Public Space Protection Order for the Marlowes and Water Gardens.

Their original 'couldn't make it up' plans to ban feeding the ducks have thankfully been abandoned after Lib Dems opposed them, but Conservative cabinet-plans remain to restrict cycling, despite the presence of many bike racks in the town centre!

Former Lib Dem Hemel Councillor Lloyd Harris (pictured) spotted two almost comical flaws in the proposed Order regarding cycling: First it means you would break the law to cycle to a bike rack on the Marlowes, and second the restricted area includes the Water Gardens - including the lake!

Lloyd said: "The whole thing would be a joke; in times of budget cuts, do the Tory-run Council really want to waste money on pointless laws - and how did they imagine a need to ban 'Aqua-bikes'? Residents' taxes would be better spent preserving services than on pointless criminal orders; we deserve better from the Council's leaders."

Lib Dem Councillor Adrian England continued: "There is no budget allocated to enforce this PSPO. I question if there is any serious point proceeding at all; why not stop now and save the Council wasting any more time and money, if it is just for the sake of being seen to be doing something?"