COUNCIL SCROOGES TAKE £400 EACH YEAR FROM CHARITY SHOPS- WHAT A WASTE!

12.00.00am GMT Wed 28th Nov 2007

Charity shops in Hampshire could be wrongly overcharged for waste disposal.

Four Hampshire authorities, including Southampton City Council and Test Valley Borough Council, charge charity shops for both the collection and disposal of their waste, contrary to Regulations.

The Association of Charity Shops has recently described this behaviour as "disgraceful".

Commenting, Sandra Gidley MP said:

"I am appalled to learn that despite the clear Controlled Waste Regulations, our local authorities continue to charge local charity shops for both the collection and disposal of waste.

"Charity shops are excellent fundraising facilities in place to give something back to the local community and help those in need. For local authorities to wrongly take money away from these funds is outrageous.

"Enforcing extra waste charges is nothing but a money grabbing idea which openly breaches the regulations that are in place to ensure that charity shops can raise as much money as possible for worthy causes. "

According to the Controlled Waste Regulations 1992, waste from "premises occupied by a charity and used wholly or mainly for charitable purposes" is classed as household waste, for which a charge for collection only may be made.

In some cases this collection charge might double the bill for a charity shop, costing each shop hundreds of pounds per year. This is money that could otherwise benefit the charity's work and services.

Notes to Editors

1. The Association of Charity Shops is the only representative organisation for charity retail and has 266 member charities, operating around 6,800 shops across the UK.

2. In 2006, charity shops raised £110m for vital charitable causes.

3. The Association's online public search facility identifies at least 32 charity shops operated by Association members in Southampton.