More than a dozen licences for activities involving animals were handed out to people in Shropshire in a two-month period.

Shropshire Council’s licensing committee heard that 13 such licenses were handed out between September 1 and November 1 this year.

However, these are not for performing animals or wild animals, but for things such as pet shops, dog day care or cat boarding.

They were among 79 general licences handed out by officers during the two month period.

Other licences handed out include 23 for street charity collections; 16 door to door collections and 19 cosmetic piercing licences.

Mandy Beever, licensing team manager, told the committee: “Licensing officers have been given delegated powers to issue or amend licences, providing no objections have been received in the case of licences issued under the Licensing Act or with regard to general and public health licences.

“Further, procedures have been approved for officers with direct line management responsibility for licensing to use their delegated powers to refuse, suspend or revoke driver, vehicle and operator licences.

“Information regarding the issue of licences by officers under delegated powers is reported to committee on a quarterly basis.

“Officers use their delegated powers in a number of situations, including where a licence has been requested and there have been no objections raised by interested parties or responsible authorities.

“During the period the workload for the licensing team has continued to be high and the team have been working hard to maintain the flow of applications.”

The committee also heard 14 small society lottery permits were granted in the period by delegated powers, along with 50 personal alcohol licences.