Agenda item

Melanie Sagar, Licensing Officer, informed the Committee of the outcome of the public consultation on the draft policies for Street Collections and House to House Collections, and requested that the Committee recommend to Full Council that the draft polices be adopted as Council strategies.

Members were advised that the Council did not currently have specific policies in relation to Street Collections and House to House Collections, and so currently dealt with such applications using Slough Borough Council (SBC) House to House Model Guidance for Public Charitable Collections, House to House Regulations, SBC Street Collections Guidance and the SBC Model Street Collection Regulations.

In light of this and to address some concerns over the legitimacy of  previous collections made, the Licensing Team had conducted a review of the processes and procedures for ‘Street Collections’ and ‘House to House Collections’ with new draft policies and application forms being prepared.

On 17^th November 2015 a report was put before the Licensing Committee on the new draft policies, and the Committee resolved to approve the policies and that Officers commence a full consultation exercise.

A full public consultation on the draft policies was conducted between 4^th  December 2015 and 14^th January 2016, with all national and local charitable   organisations, the Charities Commission and all previous applicants for  charitable collections in Slough, as well as through the SBC website.

The item was opened for discussion, and Members asked a number of questions, including:

Would a license be available to anyone?

As part of the new formal policy and process, collectors would be required to hold a permit. Permits would be free of charge, with charitable organisations issued permits within 28 days.

How would Slough residents raise concerns over unlicensed collectors?

The Licensing team would rely on the public notifying them of any concerns. To help facilitate this, a list of authorised permit holders would be published on the Slough website.

Resolved- That Council be recommended to adopt the draft Street Collections and House to House Collections policies.