There were no changes to the Committee membership.

To confirm and sign as a correct record the minutes of the meeting held on  8 January 2025 (Appendix A).

The Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 8 January 2025 were confirmed and signed as a correct record.

There were no apologies for absence.

Members are invited to declare any disclosable pecuniary interests or other registrable and non-registrable interests in items on the agenda.

There were no declarations of interest.

The Committee’s approval was sought to make a minor amendment to the Council’s Street Collections Regulations and by association the Council’s Charity Collections Policy governing the determination of applications for charity collections taking place in the borough’s town centres.

The policy was not due for renewal until 2028.  Therefore, Officers were suggesting the amendment so that it could be implemented with immediate effect.

Officers explained that three fairly recent incidents had prompted a review of where the enforcement elements of the Policy should sit.  Previously they had been in the model street collections regulations but had been moved to sit alongside those for house to house collections.  However, in order to ensure they were enforceable it was agreed to reinstate those relating to street collections in the model regulations.

Officers explained that the incidents highlighted potential confusion about what counted as a public place; but in terms of charity collections it was clarified that places to which the public had unrestricted access, with the exception of those on private property, were covered by the street collections regulations.  Some places, including the Sainsbury Centre in Chertsey were covered instead by street trading regulations which carried a different definition.

Generally speaking Direct Debit appeals were only permitted ‘house to house’ rather than in the borough’s town centres owing to their relatively small size and limited capacity.

Officers agreed to request that a ‘report it’ function be added to the Council’s website to make it easier for members of the public to raise any concerns about charity collections taking place in the borough.

Authorised collectors had a distinctive badge either worn or on their collecting tins (for cash collections) bearing the Runnymede Crest and Officers were asked to issue a succinct message via the Council’s Communications team highlighting charity collections.

Officers had sought advice from the DCMS with regard to the Street Collections Regulations who had suggested that one of the enforcement clauses was removed as it effectively duplicated existing provisions.  This brought the Runnymede street collections regulations back in alignment with the model set, with the exception of a clause regarding the power to revoke permits to which the DCMS had not objected.

The minor amendment did not need the Council to re-register with the Secretary of State as confirmed by the DCMS.

Resolved that –

The Runnymede Street Collections Regulations 1981, as amended, be adopted and implemented with immediate effect

There were no exempt or confidential items on the agenda.