A COUNCIL investigation into an animal welfare motion which was defeated at last month’s Bromsgrove District Council (BDC) meeting has revealed councillors were wrong to rule against it.
Labour Coun Dr Michael Thompson’s motion to implement an animal welfare policy was rejected on the basis there was already one in place – an opinion led by Conservative Coun Brian Cooper.
However, Coun Thompson’s motion was based on information from the council’s head of legal services Claire Fenton, who had already confirmed last year there was no such policy.
The motion proposed the council banned circuses which used animals, would not allow the use of animals as prizes and advocated the use of environmentally-friendly cleaning products, which had not been tested on animals.
Following Coun Thompson’s request to BDC for a full investigation, it transpired he was correct in his understanding no such policy existed and that Coun Cooper had spoken against the motion with incorrect information.
Bromsgrove District Council CEO Kevin Dicks made a special statement at this week’s council meeting to confirm Coun Thompson was correct to propose the motion.
He said: “As members will recall at the last full council meeting there was a debate on a notice of motion submitted by Coun Dr Thompson on Animal Welfare.
“This was responded to by Coun Dr Cooper and was subsequently defeated – based upon the fact the Council already had a policy in place.
“I can confirm the council does not actually have a policy in place with regard to animal welfare.”
Although Coun Cooper spoke against the motion last month – he still abstained from the vote.
Following the investigation, he has now pledged his support for the motion.
Coun Thompson will deliver his motion for animal welfare again at the full council meeting in April.
