DOGS are to be banned from a York park, but a top councillor has warned it should not be seen as a precedent for other areas in the city.

Holgate Dock, near St Paul's School, has been the subject of arguments between pet owners and parents as the site is used regularly by the school for PE and playtimes but is also popular with dog walkers.

The school asked the council to take action, so its teachers would not have to clear up dog mess before the children could be allowed to play on the grass.

A consultation was launched about a possible Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) and this week the council's executive member for safer neighbourhoods Cllr David Carr agreed to implement one, banning dogs from the park altogether.

He said the decision was made "reluctantly", as he did not believe other options like banning dogs in term time only, would be workable.

Cllr Carr added: "I don't want to stigmatise dog owners, as it's a small minority who spoil it for the rest. Most dog owners are responsible and clear up after their pets."

He had heard from Nigel Rogers, who lived nearby, and said that while he had neither children nor pets he was concerned about criminalising dog owners who did nothing wrong be exercising their dogs at Holgate Dock.

He asked Cllr Carr to look at introducing a DNA scheme to allow only dogs which have their DNA recorded on a database are allowed on the land so any mess left behind can be traced to the culprit.

However ward councillor Mary Cannon also spoke at the meeting, and said that as the only accessible open space available for St Paul's primary it needed to be protected.

PSPO's are currently being considered for West Bank Park and Acomb Green, but Cllr Carr said the Holgate decision should be seen as a precedent other parks in York could follow.

"We have got to be very careful or stigmatising a section of the population when most of them are extremely responsible and whose animals bring great joy and comfort."