Licence summary

Any person who organises a public charitable collection (a collection from the public of money for charitable purposes taken either in a public place or by means of visits from place to place) must apply to the relevant local authority for permission.

Eligibility Criteria

Any individual or organisation can apply to hold a public charitable collection.

Regulation Summary

Any person who organises a public charitable collection without the permission of the local authority shall be guilty of an offence and liable, on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding £200.

The requirement for such a licence does not apply to a collection which takes place in the course of a public meeting or to a collection which takes place by means of an unattended receptacle kept in a fixed position in a public place.

Application Evaluation Process

The organiser of a public charitable collection must apply in writing (per the pro-forma application form) to the local authority not later than one month before the date of collection.

On receipt of the application the local authority must consult the police authority.
In granting permission the local authority may impose such conditions as they think fit, having regard to local circumstances.
A local authority may refuse permission on any of the following grounds:-

That the date, time, frequency or area of the collection would cause undue public inconvenience;

That another collection in respect of which permission has been granted or which is exempt under subsection 11 of the legislation, is due to take place on the same or a proximate date;

That it appears to them that the amount likely to be applied for charitable purposes in consequence of the collection is inadequate having regard to the likely amount of the proceeds of the collection;

That the organiser of the collection has been convicted of an offence under section 5 of the Police, Factories, etc (Miscellaneous Provisions ) Act 1916 or the House to House Collections Act 1939.

Will Tacit Consent Apply?

No.

Other Evidence

None

Fees

There is no fee.

Contact Details for the Customer to use

Belinda Ruthven
Area Committee Services Assistant
Argyll and Bute Council
Scotcourt House, 45 West Princes Street, Helensburgh G84 8PB
belinda.ruthven@argyll-bute.gov.uk (Tel: 01436 658825)

Eilidh Fitzpatrick
Area Committee Services Assistant
Argyll and Bute Council
22 Hill Street, Dunoon PA23 7AP
eilidh.fitzpatrick@argyll-bute.gov.uk (Tel: 01369 707135)
 

Consumer Complaint

Charles Reppke
Head of Governance and Law
Argyll and Bute Council
Kilmory, Lochgilphead PA31 8RT

How to Apply

Apply for a Charitable Collections licence online