Street Collection Licence

Please note: If you need to see a member of the Licensing section, they will only be available between the hours of 10.00am and 12.00 noon and 2.00pm and 4.00pm.

It is illegal in this country to hold a Street Collection to collect money or sell articles for the benefit of charitable or other purposes without obtaining a Street Collection Licence from the Council if that collection is to be held 'in a street or public place'. A 'public place' is a 'place where the public has access'.

It is often assumed that collections can be held in shop doorways or car parks do not need a Street Collection Licence because they are being held on 'Privately owned land'. This is not true, as the legislation does not mention the ownership of the land or treat collections on 'privately owned land' as exempt from the licensing regulations. A shop doorway or car park, when that shop is open for trading, is a 'public place' because the public has access at that time. No other licence would be valid. A Pedlars Licence, issued by the Police cannot be used for this purpose. Only local (Miscellaneous Provisions Act, 1916, as amended by the Local Government Act 1972 and Schedule 29 of that Act.)

The Council has issued Regulations under the statutory powers. These are laid down by central Government and are mostly the same for all authorities.

Collection Areas

• Bagshot (inc. Village Centre)
• Bagshot
• Bisley
• Camberley
• Chobham
• Deepcut & Blackdown
• Frimley
• Frimley Green
• Heatherside
• Lightwater
• Mytchett
• West End
• Windlesham

Guidance Notes

• Applicants must provide the registered number and name of the charity that is to benefit from the proceeds of the collection.
• Persons under the age of 16 are not permitted to act as collectors and it is the responsibility of the promote of the collection to enforce this.
• Every collector must carry a collecting box, which must be numbered and securely closed and sealed so that it cannot be opened without the seal being broken.
• All money received during a collection must immediately be placed in a collection box.
• All collection boxes must prominently display the name of the charity of fund for which the collection is taking place.
• All collection boxes must be opened in the presence of the promoter and another responsible person, except in cases where the unopened box is delivered straight to the bank. In that instance the bank is permitted to open the collection box.
• The person opening the box must count the contents and enter the amount with the number of the collecting box on a list, which must be certified by that person.
• Payments must not be made to any collector, or any person, directly or indirectly connected with the promotion that has not been approved by Surrey Heath Borough Council in the application.
• Within one month of the collection taking place within the borough of Surrey Heath unless a permit for the collection has been issued.
• Collections taken at open-air meetings however do not require the consent of the local council.
• Collections can only be made on the date and between the hours stated on the permit.
• Collections can not take place on roads that have a footpath, unless the collection is part of a procession
• Collections should not be made in such a manner as to inconvenience or annoy members of the public and therefore a collector must retain stationary. In cases where there is more than one collector, they must be at least 25 meters apart. This condition will be waived if the collection is to take place as part of a procession.

For further information on street names please refer to the Local Town Maps page.