The rules governing charitable collections in East Dunbartonshire have been updated to help resolve situations where more than one organiser wishes to hold a collection on the same day.

Permits for collections will now carry an additional condition which states: “If the organiser has permission to hold charitable collections in the East Dunbartonshire area for three or more days, including where there are multiple permits issued, then the organiser shall work with the council to accommodate other charitable collections should a subsequent application to be made by another organiser.

"The council reserves the right to vary any permission granted if agreement is not reached.”

Certain charities face less stringent requirements to hold collections, including Marie Curie, Guide Dogs and Poppy Scotland, and have the right to collect house to house or in the street.

Historically East Dunbartonshire Council has permitted only one collection in a specific area on any given day, for example, if a charity was already collecting door-to-door in Bearsden no other request for door-to-door collection would be permitted for that date, although a permit would be granted for a street collection or a door to door collection in a different area.

This is to minimize inconvenience to the public.

However issues have arisen where charities are permitted to collect on multiple dates but do not actually use all of those dates, so this new condition is intended to improve fairness and formalise practices by officers already attempting to resolve any conflicts between organisers on a voluntary basis.

The new condition was unanimously approved by members of the audit and risk management committee.