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Charitable collections - Street Collections

Any collection, whether cash or property, undertaken in any street or public place, should be licensed by the relevant Local Authority in accordance with the Police, Factories, etc (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1916.

A licence is not required if the collection is on private land, such as a supermarket, railway station or shopping centre. The purpose of the Regulations made under the Act, is to ensure that collections are controlled

to prevent nuisance to members of the public and to provide an audit trail with regard to the allocation of funds. Ideally, applications should be submitted at least one month prior to the proposed collection date. Within three months of the collection a financial return must be completed and returned to the Council giving details of monies collected.

Requirements for your collection

You have a licence from the Council authorising the collection
You have given written permission to any person collecting on your behalf
Your collectors have been advised of the regulations in respect of the form of any collection and that collectors cannot be under 16 years of age
Every collector must carry a collecting tin which has been sealed and clearly marked with the name of the recipient Charity and where necessary the organisation making the collection

If your organisation has not previously applied to the Council for a charity collection, please send some documentation detailing the objectives and aims of your cause, your registered charity number where applicable and relevant financial statements. Please also complete an application for a licence to hold a street collection. If you or your organisation is collecting on behalf of another Charity, please provide written authorisation from that Charity with the application.

After the collection

Collecting tins should be opened in the presence of the promoter and witness or alternatively given to a bank to be opened and counted by an official
Once opened, the contents of each tin should be entered on a list and certified by those present
A financial return must be made to the Council on the form provided
At least 85 per cent of the monies collected must be donated to the Charity, with a maximum of only 15 per cent allowed towards expenses
No promoter, or associate, can receive payment from the collection without specific approval from the Council

Application refused

The Council can refuse or revoke licences for various reasons which include:

To limit the number of collections
If expenses are likely to exceed the permitted level
If incorrect information is given on the application form
If the promoter (or any other person involved in the collection) has been convicted of a relevant criminal offences eg. burglary, blackmail or fraud

Mandate collections

Charity collections where pledges are made for direct debit donations do not currently require a licence in Broxbourne, although there is the possibility that regulation will be introduced in due course.