Talks continue on enforcement of stray horses

CARMARTHENSHIRE’S Executive Board Member for Public Protection will continue to push for additional funding to assist the implementation of new laws on stray horses.

Under the Control of Horses (Wales) Act 2014, the Welsh Government expects local authorities to take control of stray and fly grazed horses on public land via a multi-agency approach.

It is the animal health section of Carmarthenshire County Council that leads on the issue, but no additional money has been made available to fund the extra work generated to enforce the Act.

Cllr Jim Jones wrote to the Welsh Government following concerns raised by members of the council’s Environmental and Public Protection Scrutiny Committee, noting that enforcing the legislation has ‘put an extra burden on an already depleted service’ within the council’s animal health section.

Speaking at yesterday’s meeting of the council’s Executive Board, he said: “I have received a reply from Rebecca Evans AM, but unfortunately there is no extra money to help us deal with this.”

In her response, Rebecca Evans AM, Deputy Minister for Farming and Food, suggested that the council raised its concerns as part of wider discussions on the enforcement of future Animal Health and Welfare Framework, being held by Heads of Trading Standards, the Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA) and Welsh Government officials.

Dealing with stray horses is a priority of the council’s public protection department, and uses significant resources – particularly in the summer months, when more horses are left to feed on public land.

Robin Staines, Head of Housing and Public Protection, said: “Unfortunately, leaving horses stray to fly graze can cause significant health and safety concerns, not just for the horses, but for members of the public. The horses are often frightened and will run on to public highways amongst traffic.

“We give utmost priority to enforcing the Act, issues of this nature require immediate and robust response, and whilst it does place extra burdens on us, we hope that the additional measures now in place – including an onus on all horse owners to microchip and passport all horses born after 2009 – will be of some help.”

Concluding discussions at Executive Board, Leader of the council, Cllr Emlyn Dole, said: “We are the most horsely populated county in Wales – there is an explicit expectation on us to do this but we don’t have the funding to go with it.”