The leader of Douglas Council believes the town's new dog by-laws are a local authority matter, and East Douglas MHK Brenda Cannell shouldn't have raised the issue in Tynwald last week.

Many of Mrs Cannell's constituents are unhappy with the regulations, saying dog owners without transport will struggle to get to Noble's Park, where an area has been set aside for the animals to walk.

Councillor Christian says all the Douglas MHKs were invited to comment on the by-laws before they were implemented, but no feedback was received. He told Manx Radio:

"I'm disappointed in the fact the mover, Brenda Cannell, made no effort to come and speak to myself or other members of the council, or even ask for a meeting with a lobby from the council, to put the concerns forward that she wanted to express.

"It is a local authority matter and I think that is where it should have been dealt with first.

"It's come across that the 18 members of the council are not listening to the views of the rate-payers, which is totally untrue, and the only way she was going to get a result was to put it on the floor of Tynwald."

Douglas Councillors and MHKs are to meet to try and resolve issues surrounding the by-laws, under which dogs are banned from the town's parks, gardens and glens.