Issue - meetings

Due to the timescale and print deadlines, the recommendations of the meeting of the Licensing and Appeals Committee held on 28 March 2023 will be circulated to Members in advance of the meeting of Council.

Item LA 23/4 referred from Licensing and Appeals Committee minutes of 28 March 2023.

RESOLVED:  That the recommendations at Minute LA 23/4 be approved.

Following a period of public consultation an updated Animal Licensing Policy was presented for consideration.

Following a period of public consultation, an updated Animal Licensing policy was presented for consideration.  The updated policy reflected the changes made by The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018 and no responses to the consultation had been received.

The policy set out how the Council would exercise its functions under the Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976, the Zoo Licensing Act 1981, the Animal Welfare Act 2006, and the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018.  It was noted that in having a policy, the Council could apply for the RSPCA Gold Footprint award.

Members attention was brought to paragraph 1.6 of the draft policy whereby the following amendments had subsequently been made in order to provide clarity:

·       The wording ‘not exclusively’ to replace ‘for example’; and

·       The word ‘renewed’ to be inserted following ‘existing licence holders whose licences are being’.

During discussion, Members welcomed the non-mandatory policy and noted the powers available to the Council under the Animal Welfare Act 2016.

RECOMMENDED: That the draft Animal Licensing Policy, attached as Annex 1, be approved, subject to the subsequent amendments.