Pursuant to the provisions of Council Procedure Rule 12, Council will consider a motion, notice of which has been given by Councillor Barrett.

The provisions of Council Procedure Rule 12.5, (Professional Advice of the Council’s Statutory Officers on the Motion) require the Council’s three statutory officers (i.e. Monitoring Officer, Section 151 Officer and Head of Paid Service), once the Motion has been accepted as being valid, to produce a formal Advisory Note detailing any necessary initial professional advice in relation to the implications for the Council of that Motion. That Advisory Note will focus on implications for the Council relating to budgetary, constitutional or legislative requirements or staffing matters.

In this instance, the Council’s Statutory Officers have not yet indicated whether they need to provide any such professional advice and whether therefore an Advisory Note(s) does need to be produced on this occasion.

Council had before it the following motion, notice of which had been given by Councillor Barrett pursuant to Council Procedure Rule 12:-

“(a) That Tendring District Council notes that:-

(1)     ownership of any animal is a big responsibility and one that should be planned and well thought out, as animals often do not have their welfare needs met prior to, during and after being given as a ‘prize’;

(2)     between 2015 and 2020, there were 120 cases reported to the RSPCA of live animals being given as prizes in England and that whilst the numbers decreased during the Covid-19 lockdowns, the RSPCA still regularly receive calls about pets being given away as prizes;

(3)     in 2024, 91% of UK adults were shocked to discover that this still happens and 79% agreed that local councils should step in to stop this;

(4)     under the Animal Welfare Act 2006, it is an offence to give an animal as a prize to anyone under the age of 16, except within the family context but that the RSPCA believes that this does not go far enough, and would like to see legislation introduced similar to that within the Animal Health and Welfare (Scotland) Act 2006, which states that: it is an offence to give an animal as a prize, regardless of age, except within the family context;

(5)     local authorities can ban the giving of live animals as prizes on Council owned land, thereby ensuring the welfare of these animals is not compromised, as well as raising public awareness of the issue and leading the way on ending this outdated practice;

(6)     all 22 local authorities in Wales and over 70 Councils in England have now restricted this activity on land that they control; and

(7)     the RSPCA believe that many cases of pets being given as prizes go unreported each year.

(b)  That Tendring District Council therefore resolves:-

(1)     to re-affirm the commitment that currently exists in the Council’s Animal Welfare Charter to ban outright the giving of live animals as prizes, in any form, on land owned by Tendring District Council;

(2)     that the Leader of the Council writes to Steve Reed MP, Minister for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs urging the Government to introduce an outright ban on the giving of live animals as prizes on both public and private land by way of an amendment to the Animal Welfare Act 2006;

(3)     that the Portfolio Holder for the Environment and ICT be requested to undertake a review of this Council’s current Animal Welfare Charter to ensure that it is an up-to-date policy document; and

(4)     that this Council communicates to its residents this Council’s continued commitment to Animal Welfare issues across the District by highlighting its intention to lobby the Government to ban the giving of live animals as prizes in any form.”

Prior to the commencement of the meeting the Council’s Monitoring Officer had decided that the statutory officers did not need to provide any professional advice in relation to this motion and that therefore an Advisory Note pursuant to Council Procedure Rule 12.5 had not needed to be produced.

Councillor Barrett formally moved the motion and Councillor Fairley formally seconded the motion.

In accordance with the provisions of Council Procedure Rule 12.6 Councillor Barrett then explained the purpose of the Motion and Council proceeded to debate it.

In addition to Councillor Barrett, Councillors Fairley, Oxley and M E Stephensonspoke during the debate on this matter.

Councillor Barrett’s motion on being put to the vote was declared unanimously CARRIED.