DOG OWNERS in a London suburb who allow their dogs to foul the neighbourhood may find themselves caught on camera following the installation of CCTV by West Ham and Plaistow New Deal for Communities project.

In response to concerns from the local community about high levels of dog fouling in the Rudolph Road area of Plaistow, east London, NDC's Neighbourhood Management Team introduced a number of measures to tackle the problem. As well as CCTV to identify owners who allow their dogs to foul public areas, free pooper scoopers were provided and a local leafleting campaign was introduced explaining the problem and possible consequences.

At the CCTV launch one local resident said: "We are pleased that we are being listened to and we are keen to work with the Neighbourhood Management Team on similar projects."

The idea of using CCTV to tackle this problem was introduced by the Rudolph Road Service User Group (SUG). Rudolph Road is one of five NDC neighbourhoods that have formed a SUG which is a partnership between local residents and agencies who work together to identify and tackle local concerns.

The creation of SUGs are a vital part of the Neighbourhood Management Team's work. Other initiatives being developed by the five SUGs include environmental clear ups, removal of grafitti and removal of abandoned vehicles.

Since the introduction of the CCTV camera late last year, dog fouling in the road has markedly decreased.