Agenda item

Site Management Agreement Between Bromsgrove District Council and Public Fundraising Regulatory Association (PFRA)

Meeting of Licensing Committee, Monday 10th November 2014 6.00 p.m. (Item 24/14)

Minutes:

Following on from the Licensing Committee meeting held on 23rd June 2014, Members were asked to consider on update on the progress made following discussions with the Public Fundraising Regulatory Authority (PFRA) and officers from Worcestershire Regulatory Services (WRS) with regard to establishing a Site Management Agreement to regulate face to face fundraising by way of direct debit in Bromsgrove Town Centre; and to consider the draft Site Management Agreement as detailed at Appendix 1 to the report.

The Senior Licensing Practitioner (WRS) introduced the report and informed the Committee that as a result of those discussions a draft Site Management Agreement had been produced. The draft Site Management Agreement restricted fundraising to the pedestrianised area of Bromsgrove High Street between New Road and Stratford Road. The number of collectors permitted to visit on any one day would be restricted to five, with fundraising taking place on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays only. At the Licensing Committee meeting held on 23rd June 2014, Members had requested that fundraising be restricted to just two days per week on Mondays and Wednesdays, due to the possible impact on market traders and visitors to the high street. WRS officers had used this basis as a starting point during their discussions with the PFRA. However after consulting with its membership on the proposed site management arrangements, their membership had indicated that the demand was such that three days per week would be required to collect in Bromsgrove high street.

Councillor R. J. Shannon welcomed the report. He had received feedback from residents in his constituency with regard to the excessive number of face to face collectors in Bromsgrove high street, and questioned the need for the PFRA to have face to face collectors operating three days a week.

Councillor J. M. L. A. Griffiths reiterated that at the Licensing Committee meeting on 23rd June 2014, and as already stated, Members had initially requested that face to face collectors be restricted to two days per week, Mondays and Wednesdays due to the possible impact on market traders and visitors to the high street.

In response, the Senior Licensing Practitioner (WRS) highlighted that without a Site Management Agreement, face to face collectors could operate in Bromsgrove high street seven days a week. The PFRA membership consisted of charitable organisations and that 95% of charitable organisations were signed up to the PFRA membership. It was those charitable organisations that had indicated there was a need to operate three days per week in Bromsgrove high street. The Senior Licensing Practitioner explained that the PFRA could walk away from the Site Management Agreement, which would result in face to face collectors remaining unregulated. A Site Management Agreement would regulate face to face collectors. Anyone collecting for a charitable organisation via the PFRA would be subject to their code of conduct and therefore the PFRA would respond to any complaints received and would issue penalties according to its rules.

Members agreed that further discussion with the PFRA was required and that during those discussions, WRS officers should highlight that Licensing Committee Members had requested restricting collecting to two days per week due to the possible impact on market traders and visitors to the high street, or in the alternative, reducing the number of collectors operating over a three day period.

RESOLVED:

(a) that the contents of the report and the contents of the draft Site Management agreement be noted,

(b) that the Head of Worcestershire Regulatory Services be authorised to renegotiate the draft Site Management Agreement with the PFRA in accordance with the comments made by Members as to the number of collection days or alternatively the number of face to face collectors operating; and

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