A legal agreement on how the Warwickshire Hunt is allowed to operate will not be made public, despite calls from a local MP for "greater transparency".

MP for Warwick and Leamington Matt Western has written to the Chief Constable of Warwickshire Police calling for the private protocol between the force and the controversial organisation to be shared.

The Labour MP says he has responded to multiple calls from local residents to address reported fox hunting by the Warwickshire Hunt, as well as alleged anti-social behaviour.

Previous attempts to have the protocol - which manages road safety concerns around the hunt - published have already fallen on deaf ears.

Warwickshire Police previously issued Warwickshire Hunt with a community protection notice (CPN), ordering that officers should be provided with a calendar of all events and locations and timings of any road crossings a week before meets. 

This was due to be appealed by Warwickshire Hunt but a protocol to address road safety matters, which has not been published, was agreed prior to that being heard. It meant the CPN was dropped.

But Mr Western says the details of the protocol must be shared with locals.

Matt Western says the protocol for the Warwickshire Hunt needs to be published (image supplied)

"My understanding is that the Warwickshire Hunt had been in the process of appealing the CPN, but that prior to an appeal hearing going ahead, a private protocol was instead agreed between the Warwickshire Police and the Warwickshire Hunt," he said in a letter to the chief constable. 

"I do not believe that the terms of this protocol are in the public domain, and certainly I have not had sight of a copy. 

"The apparent lack of transparency is causing some concern."

But Warwickshire Police has continued to resist calls for the protocol to be published, saying "The protocol is treated as confidential in law" in a statement to Nub News.

Mr Western also highlighted concerns the hunt is illegally hunting foxes rather than limiting itself to 'trail hunting'.

Warwickshire Police told Nub News it is still investigating these claims.

Warwickshire Police is investigating Warwicskshire Hunt over claims it is hunting foxes (image via SWNS)

The Labour MP also said a hunt saboteur was allegedly assaulted by a hunt member on October 9 - again the force said it is investigating these claims.

Concerns about the Warwickshire Hunt have intensified in recent weeks after footage of a fox being killed by a pack of hunting dogs in Warwickshire circulated on social media.

It was filmed by anti-hunt protesters on Monday 9 October and shows the terrified animal fleeing across fields in Idlicote House Estate, with hunt members giving chase.

Concerns about the protocol were also raised at the Warwickshire Police & Crime Panel – a body of councillors and independent members that scrutinises the work of Police & Crime Commissioner (PCC) Philip Seccombe – in September.

Dr Denise Taylor, a wildlife conservationist, said the withdrawal of the PCN "has raised serious questions and has not been transparently explained to the public" and queried the "secret" protocol.