BADGERS on Borough of Poole land are safe from the government cull the council has confirmed.

As DEFRA announces plans to kill at least 615 badgers in Dorset as it expands it badger cull in a bid to tackle bovine TB, Borough of Poole has maintained its position of disallowing the activity on its land.

It comes after last summer's huge petition signed by more than 1,300 people opposing the culling of badgers on council land was presented by Poole resident Paul Watkins, as part of the Operation Badger campaign.

It called on the council to: “Prohibit the culling of badgers on council-owned land and invest in vaccination programmes locally. We ask this because we believe culling to be inhumane, inefficient and unscientific.”

The campaign ended with Liberal Democrat councillors narrowly winning a vote to prohibit the culling of badgers against Conservative and UKIP members who supported a review of the council’s position should the government propose a cull in Poole.

Members also recommended that any decision on vaccinating badgers be delegated to the head of environmental and consumer protection services, with no action to be taken at present.

Dorset Wildlife Trust, which opposes culling, began vaccinating badgers on its nature reserves in 2013.

The council believes that it has approximately 12-14 badger setts on land it owns and there are thought to be around 100 badgers on or near sites grazed by livestock in Poole.

Cllr Mike Brooke, leader of the Liberal Democrat group on Borough of Poole, said: “We think it’s important that we protect our badgers, culling is inhumane and all the evidence points to it not being worth the expense.”

Cllr John Rampton, portfolio holder for environment and consumer protection, Borough of Poole, said: “In July 2014 councillors agreed to prohibit the culling of badgers on council owned land should a firm proposal to cull in Poole be established by government.

“This position has not changed in light of the announcement by DEFRA and where required, any decisions relating to badger vaccinations remain with the Head of Environmental and Consumer Protection Services to undertake.”