Wolverhampton MP, Paul Uppal, has told the city council that it should resume talks with the Public Fundraising Regulatory Association (PFRA).

Uppal, who is Conservative MP for Wolverhampton South West, said: “A voluntary agreement between Wolverhampton City Council and the PFRA is the only sensible way to limit fundraisers in the city centre – I encourage Wolverhampton City Council to work closely with the regulatory body to resume talks and bring a solution to this problem.”

He added that he would be working with both the PFRA and the Council to come to an agreement, to ensure the city had an “attractive and pleasant atmosphere for shoppers”.

Toby Ganley, PFRA’s head of policy, welcomed the MP’s intervention and said: “There is an established self-regulatory regime that can resolve all the council’s issues regarding fundraising in their town and at no cost to Wolverhampton’s taxpayers.”

A spokesman for Wolverhampton City Council said: “The tactics used by chuggers are something the public have overwhelmingly told us have to change.”

He added: “If the PFRA have taken on board the public outcry about the tactics of their members and are serious about offering a genuine solution, then we are more than happy to have a dialogue with them.”

Last week the PFRA urged its members to ignore Wolverhampton council's warning that fundraisers could face being prosecuted and fined up to £500 saying that the byelaw the Council wanted to use did not apply to charity fundraising.