CONCERNS have been raised that Blaenau Gwent council could be liable for the welfare of horses and ponies that have been left to graze on their land.
The issues was brought up at a meeting of Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council’s General Licensing committee on Tuesday, September 16.
At the meeting councillors received the annual performance report for 2024/2025 covering all the areas that come under the committee’s remit, which includes taxi and alcohol licences.
Another area which comes under Licensing is animal health matters.
Blaenau Gwent have a service level agreement with Powys County Council to carry out the work on their behalf.
At the meeting, Gavin Jones, Powys council’s animal health team manager, took the councillors through his section of the report which included the number of visits to pet shop, animal boarding homes and even a zoo.
Cllr Sonia Behr (Labour – Nantyglo) said: “We have an ongoing problem with horses locally in one particular spot where they keep being put into a field that belongs to the council.”
Sometimes the horses are removed but then after a while Cllr Behr said they reappear.
Cllr Behr said: “The question has arisen, especially in the very hot period they had no food or water, as to whose liability it is as to feeding or watering the horses.
“Expert organisations say it’s the council’s responsibility because they are on council land while they are waiting to be removed and we don’t know who the owners are.”
She asked that under the agreement, is Powys council responsible for sending someone to provide food and water for these horses?
Mr Jones said: “The authority is not responsible for the welfare of animals until such point that they seize the animals.”
He explained that until that point of seizure, they are the responsibility of the owner of keeper.
Mr Jones said: “What normally happens is that they would be taken by a contractor employed by Blaenau Gwent and taken to a secure location till such time that the owner is identified.”
Cllr Behr said: “I’m concerned about the council being charged with corporate animal neglect of something like that.”
Mr Jones added that the Animal Welfare Act 2006 makes it “clear” that the person responsible is the owner or keeper.
Cllr Derrick Bevan (Labour – Cwm) added “stray horses and ponies on the road” was also a problem in his ward.
Committee Chairwoman, Cllr Lisa Winnett said: “These are longstanding issues.”
Cllr Winnett believed the best way to address the issues would be if councillors took their concerns to Mr Jones outside the meeting.
The committee then went ahead and agreed the report.
The problem has been a long-standing issue in the county borough.
In 2021 the council agreed to bring in contractors to catch stray horses in a bid to tackle fly-grazing.
The council did once have an Animal Impounding Service which did this kind of work but were disbanded in 2014/2015 due to cuts.
