DALTON zoo bosses face a fresh examination of its licence next week after inspections found some failures to follow conditions.

The South Lakes Safari Zoo was inspected by Barrow Borough Council in May and January and the findings will be reported to its 12-member licensing regulatory committee on Thursday, September 5.

Barrow council granted the licence to the Cumbria Zoo Company Ltd in May 2017, which subjected it to special or informal inspections.

Dr Matthew Brash, the council’s professional veterinary advisor, found that some areas had fallen below the standards of the Zoo Licensing Act 1981 and the Standards of Modern Zoo Practice.

He highlighted ‘concern’ over record keeping and pest control.

However, Dr Brash said these were ‘minor and easily resolved’ and suggested four recommendations and five directions to be followed.

He also noted the zoo continues to make ‘good progress’ and said veterinary care was ‘high’.

The zoo has provided a full response to the council and pledged that all the ‘critical and immediately essential’ works identified had been completed.

Further improvements are planned, it said.

Next week, the council’s cross-party committee chaired by Cllr Tony Callister will consider the council’s reports, recommendations and the zoo’s responses.

A follow-up visit in July found some changes had been implemented yet others remained shy of the required standard.

The committee must decide whether to add conditions on the licence or give  more time for improvements to be rolled out.

Karen Brewer, the zoo’s chief executive, told the council: “As always, we strive to be the best we can, there have been a number of development changes over the year and we are glad the inspectors have recognised some of the works undertaken.”

The May inspection identified ‘faded safety lines’ in the big cat house which exist to remind the public where they can or cannot stand to avoid contact.

However, the zoo confirmed that the lines had now been repainted and to ensure they were done regularly, they had been added to a six month safety check list.

Visitor numbers to the big cat house are restricted and the public could only enter with a senior trained keeper, the zoo added.

Age restrictions are in place and a safety talk is provided with the public required to sign off having received a briefing.

The May inspection also identified that a freezer set aside for waste food was wrongly labelled as ‘waste products’ when it should read ‘animal by-products’.

Again, the zoo provided evidence this had been corrected and a full review has been done of the storage and safety of by-products.

Public hand-washing facilities in an aviary – designed to avoid spreading germs from carrion-eating birds -were found not to be working ‘effectively’ in May.

The zoo has made a ‘temporary fix’ and plans to sort the issue permanently.

The hearing will take place at Barrow Town Hall on Thursday, September 5.

The zoo was approached for comment but had not responded at the time of going to Press.