Street Collections

This page provides information on street collections, including information on how to apply for a street collection permit.

Street collections for charitable or other purposes

Street collections are authorised and regulated by local authorities. Application may be made for the grant of a permit under Section 5 of the Police, Factories, etc. (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1916. Procedures for such collections are provided for by regulations.

Therefore, if it is the intention that collections are to be held in an outside area to which the collector can access the public and the public can access the collector and from which place the public cannot be excluded, you may be required to obtain a street collection permit from the Council.

Money collected by a correctly permitted street collector is usually collected in tins and these type of collections are usually promoted by charities. Such collections usually take place on busy shopping days in an area where the public are expected to be in abundance.

The issuing of street collection permits is restricted to enable charities to raise money without their collections clashing with those of other organisations also wishing to collect on the street. This may or may not include collections made at or round supermarkets, shopping centres and so on. Promoters and collectors should seek advice from the Council before setting out to hold a collection.

More information about charitable organisations is available at the Charity Commission web site.

Collections proposed to take place within the borough of Oadby and Wigston

It is required that all promoters of such collections, without exception, who are planning to hold, a collection of money or to sell articles, including badges, emblems or publicity materials, for the benefit of charitable or other purposes, must apply to the licensing section at Oadby and Wigston Borough Council for a street collection permit.

Prior to any application for a street collection permit being made, promoters are strongly recommended to contact the Council's licensing section to provide details of the place, day and time of the proposed collection and seek advice about the requirements of a permit.

Applications for the grant of a permit must be made to the Council's licensing section at least 28 days before the first date required for a collection to take place.

The aim of regulating such collections

Licensing authorities are required to register such applications for the grant of a street collection permit with the aim of:-

• regulating who can make collections,
• ensuring promoters and collectors are properly authorised,
• regulating money collected is in a secure way and the total proceeds collected are properly accounted for
• regulating the number, day and time of collections that can be made in each of the three main areas of the Borough at any one time.

This type of regulated collection should not be confused with charitable house to house collections that are permitted and regulated by local authorities.

Definitions relating to street collections

Collection - means a collection of money or a sale of articles for the benefit of charitable or other purposes and the word 'collector' shall be construed accordingly.

Promoter - means a person who causes others to act as collectors.

The licensing authority - means the Oadby and Wigston Borough Council.

Permit - means a permit for a collection.

Contributor - means a person who contributes to a collection and includes a purchaser of articles for sale for the benefit of charitable or other purposes.

Collecting box - means a box or other receptacle for the reception of money from contributors.

Application form

If you wish to undertake a street collection (which is different to a charitable house to house collection) you will need to complete the Street Collection Application Form (PDF Document, 12.82 Kb).

Fee

There is currently no fee applicable for this type of licence

Regulations for street collections

Download the Street Collection Regulations (PDF Document, 78.43 Kb)

Once you are ready to proceed, please post your application to the licensing section at the address in the contact panel on the left or visit the Council offices in person and submit your application to a member of our customer services team. No appointment is necessary to visit our customer services team, who are able during normal working hours, to make a preliminary check of your application and documents or provide help with completing the application forms.

Summary of requirements to make a street collection

Within one month of the collection the permit holder must provide details to the licensing authority in the form of a certified statement of money received, expenses, and so on. Together with other details about the collectors and collection boxes.

Organising collection

When organising your collection you need to ensure that:-

1. no collection, other than a collection taken at a meeting in the open air, shall be made in any street or public place within the Borough of Oadby and Wigston, unless a promoter shall have obtained from the licensing authority, a permit,
2. an application for a permit shall be made in writing no later than one month before the date on which it is proposed to make the collection (The licensing authority may reduce the period of one month if satisfied that there are special reasons for so doing),
3. no collection shall be made except upon the day and between the hours stated in the permit,
4. the licensing authority may, in granting a permit, limit the collection to such streets or public places or such parts thereof as it thinks fit,
5. no person may assist or take part in any collection without the written authority of a promoter,
6. any person, with written authorisation to assist, shall produce such written authority forthwith for inspection on being requested to do so by a duly authorised officer of the licensing authority or any constable,
7. no collection shall be made in any part of the carriageway of any street which has a footway (The licensing authority may, if it thinks fit, allow a collection to take place on the said carriageway where such collection has been authorised to be held in connection with a procession),
8. no collection shall be made in a manner likely to inconvenience or annoy any person and
9. no collector shall persistently harass any person to the annoyance of such person.

Whilst collecting:-

1. a collector shall remain stationary,
2. a collector or two collectors together shall not be nearer to another collector than 25 metres (The licensing authority may, if it thinks fit, waive the requirements of this regulation in respect of a collection which has been authorised to be held in connection with a procession),
3. no promoter, collector or person who is otherwise connected with a collection shall permit a person under the age of 16 years to act as a collector,
4. every collector shall carry a collecting box,
5. all collecting boxes shall be numbered consecutively and shall be securely closed and sealed in such a way as to prevent them being opened without the seal being broken,
6. all money received by a collector from contributions shall immediately be placed in a collection box,
7. every collector shall deliver unopened, all collecting boxes in his possession to a promoter,
8. a collector shall not carry or use any collecting box, receptacle or tray which does not bear displayed prominently thereon the name of the charity or fund which is to benefit not any collecting box which is not duly numbered,
9. a collecting box shall be opened in the presence of a promoter and another responsible person or where a collecting box is delivered unopened to a bank, it may be opened by an official of the bank,
10. as soon as a collecting box has been opened, the person opening it shall count the contents and shall enter the amount with the number of the collecting box on a list which shall be certified by that person,
11. no payment shall be made to any collector and
12. no payment shall be made out of the proceeds of a collection, either directly or indirectly, to any other person collected with the promotion or conduct of such collection for, or in respect of, services connected therewith, except such payments as may have been approved by the licensing authority.

After a collection

Within one month after the date of any collection the person to whom a permit has been granted shall forward to the licensing authority:-

• a statement in the form set out in the schedule to these regulations or in a form to the like effect, showing the amount received and the expenses and payments incurred in connection with such collection, and certified by that person and a qualified accountant,
• a list of the collectors and
• a list of the amounts contained in each collecting box and
• shall, if required by the licensing authority, satisfy it as to the proper application of the proceeds of the collection.

The said person shall also, within the same period, at the expense of that person and after a qualified accountant has given his certificate, publish in such newspaper or newspapers as the licensing authority may direct, a statement showing the name of the person to whom the permit has been granted, the area to which the permit relates, the name of the charity or fund to benefit, the date of the collection, the amount collected and the amount of the expenses and payments incurred in connection with such collection.

The licensing authority may, if satisfied that there are special reasons for so doing, extend the period of one month.

For the purposes of this regulation, a qualified accountant means a member of one or more of the following bodies:-

• the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales
• the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland
• the Association of Certified Accountants
• the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland.

These regulations shall not apply in respect of a collection taken at a meeting in the open air, to the selling of articles in any street or public place when the articles are sold or in the ordinary course of trade.

Any person who acts in contravention of any of these regulations, shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 1 on the standard scale.

Monitoring of collections

The Council will make any enquiries it sees fit to confirm the integrity of any person or organisation who may wish to make such collections.

If you have information to pass on the the Council or you require more information about this subject please contact us.

Online application

Licence summary

To collect money or sell articles for the benefit of charitable or other purposes in England or Wales, you require a street collection licence from your local council.

Eligibility criteria

No provision in the legislation.

Regulation summary

A summary of the regulation relating to this licence

Application evaluation process

No provision in the legislation.

Will tacit consent apply?

Yes. Tacit consent mean that if we have not dealt with your application within the target period identified then your application will have been deemed to have been registered. Please note that the processing target period (30 days) only begins on receipt of a fully completed registration form.

Apply online

Apply to run a charitable collection

Notify us of the result of a charitable collection

Failed application redress

Please contact your local authority in the first instance.

Licence holder redress

Please contact your local authority in the first instance.

Consumer complaint

We would always advise that in the event of a complaint the first contact is made with the trader by you - preferably in the form a letter (with proof of delivery). If that has not worked, if you are located in the United Kingdom (UK), Consumer Direct will give you advice. From outside the UK contact the UK European Consumer Centre.

Other redress

For example, about noise, pollution and so on. Also should one licence holder complain about another.

Trade associations

None.