A call to keep charges for horse riding establishments in Pembrokeshire on a full cost recovery basis has been supported by councillors.

In a report for members of the November meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council’s services overview and scrutiny committee, members were asked to scrutinise and have oversight of the cost of riding establishment licensing fees, having regard to the decrease of businesses in the sector.

The matter had been raised previously by Councillor Huw Murphy, and it was recommended that the fees for riding establishment continue to be set based on a full cost recovery model.

Across the UK, businesses that hire out horses for riding or provide riding instruction for payment are required to hold a licence under the Riding Establishments Act 1964.

The report said three tiers of charges in Pembrokeshire were introduced in 2018 after a consultation exercise, with fees since then increasing in line with inflation.

Current fees are £583 for up to 10 horses, rising to £766.50 for up to 30, and £1,112 for over 30; with establishments also paying a separate fee for a certified equine vet to undertake a health check on the horses, at a cost of approximately £300.

During the period from 2016, the number of such establishments has risen and fallen from a high of 11 and a low of five to seven currently, members were told.

“Officers are not aware of any businesses having closed as a result of the cost of riding establishment licences and this has not been raised as a significant concern to the service and officers undertaking inspections of these facilities,” the report said.

“Officers are however aware of one establishment that has ceased trading, which had faced large public liability insurance claims following two separate incidents in which riders were seriously injured, and this may have been a factor in the decision to close.”

Cllr Alan Dennison, on behalf of Cllr Murphy, queried the charges, saying other local authorities differed, asking if it operated on a profit-making basis, only to the told it operated on a cost recovery basis only, with officers saying there had been no formal complaints about the charges, with more concerns raised about insurance increases.

Members agreed to note the report and its recommendation.