Licence - street collection

Street Collection Permit

A collection of money and / or the sale of articles in the street or other public place, for the benefit of charitable or other purposes, is unlawful, unless authorised by a street collection permit issued by the Council.

Collections for charitable purposes made house to house require a licence to promote a house to house collection.

If you wish to sell articles in the ordinary course of trade (i.e. for the purpose of earning a livelihood and where no representation is made by or on behalf of the seller that any part of the proceeds of sale will be devoted to any charitable purpose), in the street or other public place, except a roundsman (e.g. a milkman), you will require a Street Trading Consent.

Anyone wishing to sell articles as a peddler (i.e. a tradesman who sells articles whilst almost continually on the move) requires a peddler’s licence from the police for the area in which they reside. A peddler’s licence is valid throughout England and Wales.

The provisions regulating street collections are the Street Collections Regulations 1974, made by the Council under the provisions of the Police, Factories, etc (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1916 (as amended).

To apply for a street collection permit, complete and return the Application for a Street Collection form, not later than one month before the date on which it is proposed to make the collection, to Licensing Section, Legal and Democratic Services Unit, Berwick-upon-Tweed Borough Council, Council Offices, Wallace Green, Berwick-upon-Tweed TD15 1ED.

Within one month of the collection, the promoter (i.e. the person who was granted the street collection permit) must return to the Council’s Licensing Section a Particulars of Collection form detailing the amounts collected by each collector and a Financial Statement providing a true account of the proceeds, expenses and application of the proceeds of the collection.

Guidance to assist promoters keeping records to verify the amounts collected is provided in the Records necessary for the verification of amounts collected guidance document.

Also within one month of the collection, the promoter must ensure that a Newspaper Statement (select link for further details) is published in the Berwick Advertiser.

For further information, please contact the Licensing Section, Legal and Democratic Services Unit, Berwick-upon-Tweed Borough Council, Council Offices, Wallace Green, Berwick-upon-Tweed TD15 1ED by post; by email to licensing@berwick-upon-tweed.gov.uk; by telephoning 01289 330044 or via the Enquiry Form on this website.