Data published by the IoF today show that penalty points issued to street fundraisers last year were down on average nearly 50 per cent. Peter Hills-Jones says those figures represent progress, but there is work left to do to future proof face-to-face fundraising.
If you’ve only looked at the headlines over the past two years you’d be forgiven for thinking, wrongly, that public fundraising was somehow on its last legs. The regulatory changes swirling around charities and their partner agencies has also given rise to an impression of a huge realignment that has forever changed fundraising. The reality is that public fundraising continues to adapt to be fit for the future, and remains as essential as it has ever been.
Previously as the PFRA, and now as the compliance directorate of the IoF, we are working with and supporting members every day to ensure their engagement with the public is always a positive one. Our latest data for 2016/17 for example, shows that the average number of penalties we issued during each street fundraiser compliance check fell to 28 points, from 52 points the year before, a drop of almost 50 per cent.
Reinforcing this constantly improving picture, the overall proportion of those checks that incurred any kind of penalty has also fallen for the fourth straight year, down from 58 per cent in 2013/14 to 35 per cent in 2016/17. This is a credit to our members and shows that when the sector works together with rules which are clearly understood and regularly monitored, we see impressive results.
The foundation of this success has been our partnership agreements with local councils – our ‘Site Management Agreements’. Some 126 agreements are now in operation across the UK, providing managed public spaces for fundraising in town and city centres.
However, a number of councils are experimenting with new powers given to them in 2014, which allow them to issue Public Space Protection Orders (PSPOs). These can prohibit or severely restrict what in most cases are legal activities. In some cases the introduction of these PSPOs has not been without local protests, with some being seen as criminalising homelessness, for example.
A real concern for charity fundraisers we work with is now a tiny handful of councils issuing PSPOs have chosen to include street fundraisers alongside people causing genuine public harm through anti-social behaviour.
While it is fair to say that street fundraising may not be everyone’s cup of tea, to lump fundraising together with people who let their dogs foul the street or ride quad bikes on city centre streets, would strike many as knee-jerk populism of the worst kind.
There is a better way. Working with, rather than against, charities to manage street fundraising for everyone’s benefit through our partnership agreements does not prevent the introduction of a PSPO. In many cases, the two can complement, strengthen and reinforce each other. In places like Burnley, Coventry and Shropshire the two measures are being used effectively and in tandem.
Local councillors have an important duty to enhance and protect their local spaces. So in the coming months, we’ll be working with leaders in local government to ensure councils do not harm charities by banning public fundraising, which our evidence shows is more honest, open and respectful than ever before.
Peter Hills-Jones is director of compliance at the Institute of Finance
Civil Society Media would like to thank the Institute of Fundraising for their support with this article
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