A HORSE bailiff may be brought in to tackle the problem of animals tethered illegally on roadside verges near York.

City of York Council’s cabinet will consider new guidelines and policies at its next meeting, following a series of accidents in the past year involving horses that have broken free and strayed on to roads.

Guidelines for the removal of horses from council land will also set out how the council can support private land owners where horses are illegally grazing.

A council spokeswoman said the guidelines followed consultation with landowners, traveller support workers, North Yorkshire Police, local vets, the NFU and the RSPCA.

She said: “This joint protocol’s main focus is the removal of illegally grazing horses from a public highway, council land or privately owned land.

“To do this, it proposes engaging a horse bailiff in a contract which could require them to check on public land, post notices and remove illegally tethered horses in line with current legislation and, where legally possible, act under contract on behalf of private landowners.”

She said that in addition to ongoing work to support travellers with their horses, the council had secured funding from the Homes and Communities Agency to improve provision on travellers’ sites, and a proportion would be allocated to secure grazing land for tenants' horses.

The protocol recommended the council should work in partnership with the RSPCA and horse welfare charities to develop a micro chipping and re-homing service.

At the next annual review of council tenancy agreements, a new clause would also be proposed to the Secure and Introductory Tenancy Agreement, stating that tethering horses, ponies, donkeys or any other livestock on any open plan areas or council-owned land was not permitted.

Cabinet member Dafydd Williams said the protocol would benefit the animals, road users, horse owners and land owners.