Burnley Council retains ban on keeping cockerels and unattended dogs on borough's allotments

Repealing the prohibition was considered as part of a review of the tenancy agreements for the smallholdings, at the request of Reform UK leader and Hapton with Park ward’s Coun. Alan Hosker, who said he wanted allotment holders to have the options of keeping dogs overnight to deter break-ins and keeping cockerels to breed hens.

The authority’s executive has been recommended to retain the existing ban. A report to the meeting said: “The Review of Allotments in 2023 recommended that the existing tenancy agreement should be updated to ensure that issues relating to nuisance and anti-social behaviour are adequately covered.

“A Burnley borough councillor, who is also an allotment tenant, has requested that the executive considers permitting the keeping of cockerels and unattended dogs on allotments."

The report goes on to state that allotments are provided primarily for growing food and the keeping of up to eight hens per plot for the production of eggs is permitted. It also says that cockerels are not necessary for hens to lay eggs and are specifically prohibited from (almost all) tenancy agreements.

The rules state that allotment holders are permitted to take dogs onto their allotment during the day, but dogs (like all other animals) are not permitted to be kept on allotments. The 1950 Allotments Act specifically allows for the keeping of rabbits and hens (but not cockerels), provided they are kept so as not to be prejudicial to health or cause a nuisance.

The committee was told that the chairman of Heasandford, Reedley Hallows and Fennyfold allotments, which represents 65 per cent of allotment plots in Burnley, were consulted and all expressed the view that cockerels and dogs should not be permitted to be kept on allotments.

The comments given to support this included.

• Cockerels cause a noise nuisance.

• Loose cockerels, hunting for hens, cause damage on other tenant’s allotments.

• Cockerels are only required if breeding chickens, which should not be allowed.

• Changing the rule could find it abused for criminal cock fighting.

The Principal Environmental Health Officer’s view was that dogs should not be permitted to be kept unattended on allotments because of the noise nuisance, the welfare of dogs kept in poor conditions, the risk that allotments would be used for illegal dog breeding and that cockerels should not be permitted due to the noise nuisance.

All neighbouring authorities exclude cockerels and dogs, except Hyndburn which permits cockerels, unless complaints are received.