By LIA SPENCER
Retailers claim fund-raisers are driving away business
FUND-RAISERS chasing cash from people on Pakenham’s Main Street are being blamed for driving away business from local shops.
Sandra Patten, owner of Pakenham Specialist Jewellers, said representatives from several different fund-raisers parked themselves in front of her shop and harassed people walking by.
She said the reps also put their backpacks and water bottles on her shop ledge, obstructing views of her jewellery from potential patrons.
Ms Patten said business had noticeably decreased. She took her concerns to Cardinia Council five times, but said her complaints fell on deaf ears.
“It’s like banging your head against a brick wall,” Ms Patten said.
“I pay $4400 a month to be in the shop and also pay council for my A-Frame. Then, the council issues the permit (for these organisations), but they aren’t allowed to go to the Marketplace because that’s privately owned, or to Arena, so they stay on Main Street and target the people near the middle pedestrian crossing, which has the most traffic.
They walk up to people and try to shake their hand and stand in their way, and to me, that’s harassment.”
But Cardinia Shire co-ordinator of Compliance Services Shannon Maynard said permits had conditions which included not touting pedestrians for funds or obstructing access to premises. Mr Maynard said the council would issue fines if the conditions weren’t met.
“A fund-raising organisation was recently permitted to collect funds on Main Street, Pakenham, for six separate days during March and April. Council officers attended the site during this time. The organisation’s fund-raisers were compliant with the permit at all times. The organisation has not applied to conduct any further fund-raising,” Mr Maynard said.
“Council officers can issue a fine of $200 and cancel any permit if an operator is found to be operating outside of a permit, or without a permit.”
Mr Maynard said fund-raising organisations must obtain a permit through the council to fund-raise in public areas of Cardinia Shire, such as Main Street, Pakenham.
Permits are issued subject to conditions including collectors must not cause an obstruction to pedestrians, pedestrians have clear access to the entrance of the premises, the area is to be left clean and tidy, failure to hold a public liability insurance policy for $10 million will make the permit invalid and pedestrians are not to be touted for funds/donations.
