Clampdown planned for grazing horses damaging city property

There have been an increasing total of complaints about the number of horses either being let loose or tethered in parks, playing fields and on roadsides.

In one case horses were being kept in the front garden of a council house in north Hull.

According to a new report illegally grazed horses have cost the authority at least 30,000 over the past year.

Area committees will be asked to approve "experimental" new measures which will be rolled out first in the West and Riverside areas where the problem is most severe.

Councillors are being recommended to use contractors – who already run services in Leeds, Cardiff, Sandwell, Dudley and Portsmouth – over council staff to run a new impoundment scheme over the next two years, even though it is more expensive.

Vandal-resistant signs will be appearing in "hot spots" warning that horses may be seized and impounded.

But among the options ruled out by the council is one to sow grass toxic to horses, rats and chickens. There was concern that action could have sparked "adverse publicity and reaction from the public" according to a report.

A report being considered next Wednesday says there is evidence that just a few individuals were involved in the illicit grazing and their horses represent "a significant asset and tradable income".

The report identifies 18 sites in the city where animals have been illegally tethered, including 11 on Needler Gift Land, on Thomas Clarkson Way, three on the River Hull bank and three on North Carr, Bransholme.

Others have been grazing on Snuffmill Lane, Oak Road playing field and on Priory Meadows. One of the most recent complaints involved a horse being let out on the old Constable Primary School site, with the caller complaining that it had got out and "the horse walks up and down the street" adding: "The other day it knocked her father-in-law over."

The move follows a recent motion to full council by Labour councillors demanding a more co-ordinated action from both the local authority and police.

Labour Group leader Coun Steve Brady welcomed the initiative but said the council needed "to give very good reasons for using the contractors".

Coun Mike Ross, who has the portfolio for customer and neighbourhood services, said: "It's very much down to the area committees.

"I'm all for trying to see what works. If this pilot is successful I'd be pleased."

Using contractors and putting up signs would cost a total of 16,000. Offset by contributions from wards it would cost the authority 10,750.

A second option proposes using council staff, and estimates that the council could generate a small profit, by getting owners to pay the impoundment costs.

The report, going to the West Area Committee concludes: "This would be very much an experimental approach. This project was put forward previously in Hull in 2001/2002 but did not gain sufficient support from members to proceed.

"It has the potential to recover its costs but the primary purpose would be to reduce the existing volume of complaints, nuisance, damage to sites, work and revenue costs."

The report says the contractor has a "wealth of experience" in the area and is seen as a "model of good practice".

The contractor will be obliged to stable each horse for a fortnight – with the animal going to auction if not picked up and paid for.