Cheshire West and Chester Council to ban trail hunting on its land

Councillors in Cheshire are set to back plans to permanently ban trail hunting on council-owned land.

Pursuit of live animals has been replaced by trail hunting, which sees hounds and riders follow a pre-laid scent along an agreed route.

Cheshire West and Chester Council's cabinet has been asked to prohibit the hunting on land it controls after agreeing to pause it in September.

The Countryside Alliance said it sent a message the council was "anti-rural".

Chasing wild mammals with dogs was banned in the 2004 Hunting Act, but trail hunting is legal.

According to a report to the council's cabinet, a cross-party working group at the authority said it had recommended the ban because of the risk to both wild and domestic animals.

Information from Cheshire Police analysed by the council found it was "realistically possible" that trail hunting was being used as "a cover-up for other illegal hunting practices".

The League Against Cruel Sports provided information on incidents including reports of foxes being chased or killed, trespassing on to private land and worrying sheep.

Chris Luffingham, from the charity, said "enough is enough".

"We commended Cheshire West and Chester Council for suspending trail hunting on its land and we wholeheartedly support a move to make the ban permanent," he said.

Meanwhile, the Countryside Alliance said trail hunting was legal and supports employment and businesses.

Polly Portwin, from the group, said the policy would not result in changes as local hunts use private land.

"We will be exploring further steps, but in the meantime hunts in Cheshire will continue to carry out lawful activity and liaise with the council ahead of the popular Boxing Day meets," she said.

More than 900 members of the public also responded - with 98% in favour of the ban.

The report also said there was a risk of a legal challenge to a decision to ban trail hunting but said steps had been taken to "justify" the conclusions that had been reached.

The report will be discussed at a meeting on 7 December.

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