Agenda and minutes

No declarations were received.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Bagley.

The Head of Environment submitted a report seeking approval to:-

-           the licensing of home boarding of dogs and the adoption of licence conditions for this

-           licence conditions for dog breeding

-           the review of existing animal boarding licence conditions

Members were informed that:-

-           Under the Animal Boarding Establishments Act 1963 (the Act) local authorities licensed premises for the boarding of dogs and cats.

-           The Borough Council currently licensed a number of establishments for boarding dogs and cats and these establishments complied with model standard conditions adopted by the Council.

-           In recent years, a new type of animal boarding arrangement had developed in popularity for the boarding of dogs, which was known as home boarding, where a dog was looked after in a person’s home.

-           There were currently six known home boarding establishments unlicensed that were currently operating. 

-           In response to home boarding, the Local Authorities Co-ordinators of Regulatory Services (LACORS) now known as Local Government Regulation, had developed a set of model licensing conditions in 2005.  These conditions secured similar standards of care and attention for a home boarded dog as for a dog placed in a traditional licensed boarding establishment.

-           The Animal Boarding Establishments Act 1963 gave local authorities the power to licence home boarding premises.  The principal difference between the model conditions for dogs kept at an animal boarding premises and home boarding was that home boarding dogs must be housed inside the home and not a kennel. 

-           Under the Breeding of Dogs Act 1973 no person should keep a breeding establishment for dogs except under the authority of a licence granted within the provisions of the said Act.  There were presently no dog breeding establishments in Chesterfield Borough Council’s area, but the Borough Council wished to take the opportunity to put in place conditions to support this licensable activity.

*RESOLVED -       (1)    That the licensing of home boarding for dogs be approved.

(2)   That the licensing conditions for the home boarding of dogs, as detailed in Appendix 1 to the report, be approved.

(3)   That the fee for the licensing of home boarding be set at £134.

(4)   That the conditions for dog breeding establishments, as detailed in Appendix 2 to the report be approved.

(5)   That the revised conditions for animal boarding, as detailed in Appendix 3 to the report, be approved.

(6)   That, where planning consent was not required, the Environmental Health Section notify all occupiers/ owners of properties within 20 metres of the proposed establishment of the application and their right to make representations to the Licensing Committee.