Decision details

The Committee considered a report by the Public Protection Manager (circulated previously) regarding proposed amendments to Dangerous Wild Animal and Zoo Licensing fees.

The Public Protection Manager highlighted the following:

·         Recent legislative changes surrounding animal welfare licensing had created a position whereby there was a lack of consistency surrounding the way the Council’s animal licensing fees were calculated, and in respect of the level of fee income recovered.

·         Fees approved under The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018 were now comparatively high compared to the fees set under the Zoo Licensing Act 1981 and Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976, which were part of the regime imposed by the 2018 regulations.

·         The Council was not in a position to achieve a satisfactory level of cost recovery for licences issued under the Zoo Licensing Act 1981 and the Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976, to the point where the tax payer was currently subsidising this regime.

·         The Council currently licensed three zoos.  There were no licences in relation to the keeping of dangerous wild animals.

·         Calculations in respect of keeping dangerous wild animals were detailed in Appendix B.

·         Appendix A detailed the fees proposed.

·         The structure of the fees currently in place did not reflect the recent case of Hemmings v Westminster City Council. It was recommended that there was a new Part A and B fee breakdown.

·         Despite consultation being undertaken by way of the Council’s Consultation Finder on its website, and additionally through written correspondence to the three zoos within the district no representations have been made.