Pembrokeshire County Council’s services overview and scrutiny committee reviewed the licensing fees for riding establishments, which have been set on a full cost recovery basis since a 2018 consultation introduced a three-tier fee structure. Current fees range from £583 for up to 10 horses to £1,112 for over 30, with an additional £300 for mandatory equine vet health checks. Despite fluctuations in the number of licensed establishments—from a high of 11 to a current range of five to seven—officers reported no evidence that licensing costs have caused business closures, though one closure was linked to costly public liability insurance claims following serious rider injuries.

Councillor Alan Dennison raised questions about the fees compared to other local authorities and whether the charges were profit-driven, but officers confirmed the fees strictly cover costs and noted no formal complaints about the charges themselves. Instead, insurance costs were identified as a greater concern for the sector. The committee acknowledged the report and its recommendation to maintain the current cost recovery fee model.