LGA reaches deal with fundraising association over street funding controls

The Local Government Association and the Public Fundraising Regulatory Association have agreed a memorandum of understanding on the control of street funding.

Dubbed Making the Pledge, the agreement:

  • Encourages councils to work with the PFRA to set up voluntary co-regulatory agreements;
  • Sets out what councils can expect from the PFRA; and
  • Explains the responsibilities councils have to report breaches to the PFRA.

The MoU outlines what councils can expect to see in the voluntary agreements, including the location of fundraisers, the numbers of people and charities present, and the hours and days when fundraising can take place.

The agreements will also spell out the action and sanctions to be taken if specific charities breach terms in the voluntary agreement.

Cllr Mehboob Khan, leader of Kirklees Council and chair of the LGA’s Safer and Stronger Communities Board, said: “A sensible balance needs to be struck between charities’ duties to ask people for support and the rights of local people not to be put under undue pressure to give. That is the aim of this agreement.”

Sally de la Bedoyere, the PFRA’s chief executive, expressed the hope that the agreement would help “kick-start” stalled negotiations with councils.

She said: “Our council partners regularly report to us that standards go up and complaints fall when we put an agreement in place. Those towns and cities that are looking for a practical solution seem only too pleased to work with us.

“However, it seems to us that some councils believe that regulating street fundraising is something they ought to do themselves, and that an organisation such as ours ought not be involved. Perhaps this is why some of them talk about introducing their own bye-laws.”

De la Bedoyere added: “I really hope that now we have committed to this Pledge with the LGA, some of these councils will see that we fit perfectly well within their regulatory ethos and I look forward to some of our stalled discussions being kick-started.”