GRANT District Council will beef up the expiation fee for wandering stock on roads following 26 stock complaints in the last financial year.
Under the bylaw, livestock owners only faced a $50 fee for stock wandering on roads and council-owned land.
At council’s recent meeting, elected members voted to raise the expiation more than three fold to $187.50.
This follows a Mount Gambier man lucky to be alive when his Holden Commodore in May collided with a bull on the Riddoch Highway north of Allendale East.
Council environment services director Leith McEvoy said he believed the $50 expiation fee was “quite lenient” and was not acting as a deterrent for some stock owners to comply with council bylaws.
“Although council does not receive a large number of incidents of stock wandering on roads of local government roads, unfortunately it is often the same stock owners involved with an incident,” Mr McEvoy said.
“SA Police also deal with and/or assist council on occasions with such incidents.”
During 2016/17, he revealed council received 26 stock complaints, one accident involving wandering stock with 30 head of stock returned to owners.
“Stock on roads and local government land creates a risk to public safety, particularly road users,” Mr McEvoy said.
“An increase in the expiation fee my cause stock owners to undertake better farm practices – such as closing gates and improved fencing – thereby better preventing stock from wandering.”
As a comparison, the Dog and Cat Management Board increased the wandering at large expiration fee for dogs from $80 to $210.
“Council officers believe that an increase in the expiation fee is warranted and in the best interests of public safety,” Mr McEvoy said.
