Tender for Equine Enforcement Services - AWARD

Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council covers 8547 hectares with approximately 309,000 residents and 877km of public highways. Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council covers 9796 hectares with approximately 316,000 residents and 880km of public highways.

The problem of illegally grazed and stray horses has been endemic within the whole of the Black Country for decades. It has been the practice of horse owners to tether or just leave their animals on parks, football pitches, nature reserves and other open land.

The tethering of horses is not prohibited by law, but is unauthorised on Council Land. This results in a range of problems including; direct damage to land, loss of amenities such as football pitches, planted and wooded areas being destroyed and potential injury to the public or motorists.

In addition to the health and safety problems, stray and tethered horses cause nuisance and result in a considerable volume of complaints from the public which are directed at both the Council and the police. The Council is keen to establish a robust and long term arrangement by appointing a contractor to address both the issue of planned enforcement activity and a comprehensive reactive response service to collect stray horses from the highway via a tendering process. The Contract will apply to any equine, horse, pony, donkey or mule.