COUNCIL officers are to use new powers to deal with businesses which cause cruelty or suffering to animals.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council's cabinet has agreed to delegate certain enforcement powers under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 to the authority's officers.

The move means that the council can intervene more quickly if it receives a report of cruelty to animals involved in a commercial enterprise.

The powers refer only to cases where animals are being kept or bred for commercial purposes, and do not apply to pets.

Council leader Ross Irving said: "It is a sad fact of life that animal cruelty does take place, and as the local authority we need to be able to deal with that, and this gives us the powers to do so."