Agenda item

Report attached.

The Portfolio Holder for Housing and Regeneration submitted a report to brief Cabinet Members of the forthcoming changes to the way in which animal boarding

establishments, dog breeding establishments, pet shops and riding establishments

are to be licensed by the Council and the commencement of responsibility for the

licensing of the keeping of animals for exhibition.

Approval of the report was not deemed a key decision.

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Reasons for Decision

The Council is at present responsible for the regulation of a variety of animal-related

businesses, as well as the keeping of specified dangerous animals by individuals. The licence types currently issued by the Council are:

Animal boarding establishment licences (e.g. kennels, catteries, home boarders, pet day care); Dog breeding establishment licences (premises used for, or in connection with, the commercial breeding of dogs); Pet shop licences (any business keeping animals with a view to selling them as pets); Riding establishment licences (premises keeping horses and ponies for hire for riding, or for riding tuition – excluding livery stables).

The first significant change is that all four existing types of licence, together with the additional activity of keeping and training animals for exhibition, (which is to brought over from Lancashire County Council), will be encompassed by one new ‘Animal Activity licence’. If an applicant is running more than one licensable animal related activity, each activity will be assessed separately and set out in one licence. The length of licence (previously one year in most cases) may be anything between one and three years dependent on the outcome of their inspection and the type of licence.

Under the new arrangements, the inspection process will be much more comprehensive and built around providing the premises with a ‘risk rating’. This process will establish whether the business is ‘low risk’ or ‘higher risk’ based on the level to which it meets the standards set out in regulations and guidance. The business is then awarded between one and five stars, thus determining the length of the licence which can be between 1 and 3 years. The exception is ‘Keeping and Training Animals for Exhibition’ for which all licences will be issued for 3 years as default. The star rating will be displayed on the licence and included in the Council’s public register.

The proposed fees are therefore split into two parts – the application fee, payable at the time of submission to cover the Council’s costs in considering and determining the application, and the licence fee payable on granting the licence, which covers ongoing enforcement and compliance requirements.

Alternative Options Considered and Reasons for Rejection 

The Council had no alternative but to comply with the Regulations and to implement the new licensing regime from 1 October 2018.

Resolved        (1)        That Cabinet noted the changes to the way in which

animal-related activities are to be licensed;and

                        (2)        That Cabinet agreed to the proposed fee structure set out

in paragraph 3.22 of the report attached to the agenda; and

(3)  That Cabinet delegated decisions to the Head of Regeneration and Housing Services in relation to:-

                        (a) Risk rating appeals; and

                        (b) The suspension or variation of licences; and

(c) Reviewing the fee levels annually and adjusting the fees as required.