Ledbury hunt: Council narrowly votes to allow it to proceed

A council has narrowly voted not to oppose a controversial Boxing Day hunt.

Ledbury Town Council voted not to call on Herefordshire Council to block a bid by the town's hunt to have roads closed for its meet on 27 December.

It comes after Malvern Hills Trust, which manages areas of land used by Ledbury Hunt, voted to ban trail hunts on its land.

Anti-hunt campaigner John Rose urged those against the decision to write to the council.

On 11 November, the trust voted to suspend licensing of trail hunting over "concerns over the number of infringements of its trail hunting policy and trust byelaws over the past four years"

Tom Leeke of the Ledbury Hunt had conceded the hunt had made "honest mistakes" in the past, but the Boxing Day event was historic and much-loved.

Liberal Democrat Councillor Matthew Eakin put forward a motion that the council take no action to facilitate the hunt, the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) said.

"We shouldn't be glorifying the aesthetics of blood sports," he said.

Councillor Tony Bradford, who opposed the motion, said: "We have traditions, and some bad ones have gone. But they aren't harming people."

Councillor Liz Harvey also opposed, and added: "If hunts are going to follow the rules they can continue to go about their business - I will defend that right under the law.

"But if not, we shouldn't condone it."

Citing the Malvern Hills Trust evidence, she told Mr Leeke: "You have some ground to make up in regaining the confidence of the public."

Mr Eakin said the town council will consider in the new year whether or not to support the hunt in future.