Peoples Park, Byelaw Consultation
Mid Devon District Council (the Council) is responsible for the management of the Peoples Park and Recreation Grounds (Peoples Park) as the trustee of the land left for charitable purposes, namely for the use and enjoyment of the people of Tiverton.
A set of rules, known as byelaws, set out how people are expected to behave in Peoples Park, ensuring that everyone is able to use the space safely and without interfering with the enjoyment of the space by other users.
Please see our Related Documents section for the full set of the current Peoples Park Byelaws which were adopted in June 1890 and are based on a very historic Victorian model. Times have changed a lot since then and the Council recognises that the byelaws need to be amended to make them more up-to-date and relevant to how parks users like to utilise these spaces in the 21st century.
In addition, the current byelaws set out fines which may be charged in cases of serious breaches of the byelaws by park users. The level of fines in the byelaws are now not enough of a deterrent to prevent people breaking the rules.
As part of the Council’s work to improve and protect Peoples Park, we are now proposing to update the byelaws which are expected to be adopted by the Council by the end of 2026 at the latest.
The proposed replacement byelaws are based upon wording published by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) and use more modern language ensuring that they are easier for park users to understand.
Please see the Related Documents section for our proposed replacement Peoples Park Byelaws. Some of the model byelaws have been amended to make them more relevant to Peoples Park. These changes include provisions about responsible cycling, and events and activities that can take place in the space.
You may note that there are no provisions relating to dogs in Peoples Park. This is because the walking of dogs in Peoples Park is governed by the Mid Devon (Public Spaces Protection) (Dog Control) Order of 2021 as updated by the Varion Order No.2 Order dated 2 October 2024.
Before the Council proceeds to replace the current version of the Peoples Park Byelaws with the proposed updated version, the Council would like your views on the suggested changes. Any comments the Council receives will be taken into account before the final version of the byelaws is adopted by the Council.
Why your views matter
The Council really values your feedback on the proposed changes to the Peoples Park Byelaws. Even if you do not currently use Peoples Park, the Council is still keen to hear your views and would appreciate you taking the time to complete this survey. It should take around 15 minutes of your time.
You can read the existing byelaws and the proposes byelaws on the right hand side of this page. The survey is below.
Thank you.
