Office of the Commissioner: Advisory Committee on Street Collections: Minutes of...

Minutes of meetings of the Advisory Committee on Street Collections

Metropolitan Police Office

In response to public concern at the large number of collections being made on the streets, the Metropolitan Streets Act 1903 was introduced (amending the earlier Act of 1867) to give the Commissioner of Police the power to regulate and control the holding of street collections for charitable purposes. These regulations required that applications for permits be made to New Scotland Yard.

Revised regulations were introduced in 1910 under which permits were no longer required, the conditions being incorporated in the regulations. Certain other restrictions were also placed on the conduct of the collections.

The Advisory Committee on Street Collections was appointed by the commissioner, with the approval of the secretary of state, in 1915 to consider all applications and it was the policy of the committee to refuse applications from organisations where the aims or activities may give rise to controversy, or where the money collected is to be devoted to objects outside the United Kingdom. The committee was to comprise representatives from charity and social welfare societies and the Mendicity Society and the perpetual chairman of the committee was to be an assistant commissioner. The secretariat was provided by the Commissioner's Office, L1 Branch and successor branches.

Under the Charities Act 1992 police were due to relinquish this responsibility. However, by March 2000 the advisory committee was still meeting on an annual basis and chaired by Ch. Supt. CO20 Branch. Representatives on the committee included the London Mayor's Association, Association of London Government and the London Voluntary Services Committee.