Slough Borough Council: House to house collection licences

House to house collection licences

Charitable public collections

There is no fee for charitable collection licences or permits. The collection must be for a charitable purpose as defined in part 1 of the Charities Act 2006.

Selling articles on a street other than for a charitable purpose requires a Street Trading Consent.

The application must be made no later than 1 month before the first proposed collection date. Direct Debit collections are administered by the Public Fundraising Regulatory Association (PFRA) on behalf of us under a Site Management Agreement (SMA). The SMA came into effect on 17 October 2011.

House to house collections is regulated under the House to House Collections Act 1939 and the House to House Collections Regulations 1947.

All such collections require a licence issued by us, unless a national exemption order has been issued by the Secretary of State. The licence allows charitable organisations to go from house to house (including businesses and public houses) collecting money and other goods to raise funds for charity. Slough is split into 7 collection areas (by wards) as follows:

Area 1 - Cippenham Green, Haymill, Britwell
Area 2 - Cippenham Meadows, Farnham
Area 3 - Baylis & Stoke, Chalvey
Area 4 - Wexham Lea, Central
Area 5 - Langley St Marys, Foxborough
Area 6 - Upton, Kederminster
Area 7 - Colnbrook with Poyle

We may refuse to grant a licence, or may revoke a licence already granted, on the following statutory grounds:

inadequate amount of money to be given for charitable purposes;
excessive payments to persons from the collection proceeds;
likelihood of begging offences being committed under the Vagrancy Act 1824;
applicant is not considered fit and proper, having been convicted of specified offence(s) detailed in the 1939 Act;
applicant has previously failed, or is likely to fail, to exercise due diligence to make sure compliance with regulations, conduct of collectors etc;
applicant has not furnished such information as we 'may reasonably require'.

If your application is refused you may appeal against the decision to the Secretary of State within 14 days of the notice.

Within 1 month of a collection licence expiring the chief promoter must complete and return a certified account of the amount collected and how the proceeds were distributed.

Full details of the application process, Regulations, application form and returns form can be found below.

For further enquiries or to submit an application please contact the licensing team.

Licensing
Landmark Place
High Street
Slough
SL1 1JL
Tel: 01753 875664
Email: licensing@slough.gov.uk