An 18-month legal battle to remove a horse from the main street of Batlow has finally come to an an end – but Tumut Shire Council is disappointed it never got to have its day in court.
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More than $80,000 of ratepayers’ funds was spent by council to quash Batlow woman Kathy Pope’s bid to keep Missy Moo – a nine-year-old mare – in the yard of a deconsecrated church on Selwyn Street.
“We were just on the verge of taking the matter back to court but then she removed the horse at the 11th hour,” Tumut council’s environment director Paul Mullins said.
“We didn’t get the opportunity to have our say.”
Council’s concerns with the horse were environmental – and had claimed heavy rainfall would wash horse urine and manure onto land occupying an adjoining church.
In 2013, Ms Pope was ordered by the Land and Environment Court to carry out a detailed environmental management plan to stop the runoff.
Council claimed the runoff was persistent and had enlisted an environmental consultant to prove it.
The matter was due to return to court but Mr Mullins said a petition was presented to Ms Pope ahead of the court date.
“A couple of days after that and the horse was removed,” he said.
“She had been claiming the whole time that the community was on her side.”
Mr Mullins defended council’s $80,000 legal bill as "proper process" and had hoped to recover its costs in legal proceedings.
It is understood Ms Pope will be relocating to Tumbarumba with her horse.