Issue - meetings

Councillor Johnson confirmed that, as an owner of a Livery, he did not have an interest to declare in respect of this item.

Alicia Patterson – Head of Environmental Health – introduced the report to members by way of an update on the new Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018.

The new regulations provided for local authorities to be the licensing authorities to licence persons involved in England in selling animals as pets, providing or arranging boarding for cats or dogs, hiring out horses, breeding dogs and keeping or training animals for exhibition. An Animal Establishment Licence would have to be applied for from their Local Authority. A person carrying on any of the above activities without a licence commits an offence punishable by imprisonment for up to 6 months and/or a fine.

The regulations also allowed flexibility on the regularity of inspections, enabling local authorities to concentrate on licensees who were more likely to breach licence conditions.

Members were supportive of each aspect of the regulations, though queried why horse liveries were not included. Alicia confirmed that liveries were currently dealt with under Health & Safety legislation and that the Council would work with the RSPCA if a case justified it. It was also possible that liveries may be brought under this legislation at a later date.

RESOLVED – That the report be NOTED.