A Beer resident has criticised the parish council in a letter, for its initial response to his concerns about putting dog mess in public bins.

Chris Gradwell believes that despite owners bagging up their pets’ waste, it begins to leak causing a public health hazard.

Beer Parish Council defended their comments at their latest meeting on Tuesday evening.

Mr Gradwell attended the meeting and asked that the council reconsider the policy by asking owners to take rubbish home with them.

The 73-year-old said: “The answer to this vexed problem is for dog owners to pick up in a plastic bag, as they do now, and take it home, empty it into the toilet, rinse the bag out tie a knot in it, and place the used bag in their own dustbins.

“Doing that saves the council and public a great deal of money. Failure to do that transfers the dog mess situation from the owner’s responsibility to members of the public, who don’t own a dog.”

Mr Gradwell raised the concerns at the meeting last month asking for dog owners to be more responsible.

In his latest letter, the Barline resident said: “Buying a dog comes with responsibilities; £80 to £1,000 fine is due for the breaking of laws relating to dog attacks, noise nuisance, and fouling.

“Beer Parish Council and others have in my opinion, condoned fouling by agreeing to use litter bins in this way.”

Parish clerk Annie Dallaway said the council’s policy was in line with East Devon District Council guidance.

“As a responsible council, we actively encourage dog owners to use public litter bins to dispose of their pets’ waste,” she said.

“It is perfectly safe for them to do so – all we ask is that they bag the mess up properly – it is then ready for disposal in any type of bin.”