ROGER BUTTERFIELD
Royal Assent – 28 February 2013 Possibly coming into force in September Still waiting for Regulations
The Act requires all persons carrying on business as a scrap metal dealer to be licensed Two types of licence – one for a site and the other for mobile collectors A site licence specifies one site A mobile collector licence authorises the holder to operate as a mobile collector in the area of the issuing authority
The authority has to satisfied that an applicant is a suitable person to carry on the business as a scrap metal dealer In considering the application the authority has to consider whether the applicant has been convicted of a relevant offence The Secretary of State has power to make regulations prescribing “relevant offences”
A licence can be revoked on various grounds including where the authority is no longer satisfied that the licensee is a suitable person to carry on the business as a scrap metal dealer
A licence will last for three years A licence can be varied if there is a change of circumstances relating to details in the licence A fee can be charged at cost recovery
If an authority proposes to refuse an application or to revoke a licence the authority must notify the applicant of their proposed decision. The notice must set out how the applicant can make representations There is an appeal to the Magistrates Court
The authority can close unlicensed sites by making an application to the Magistrates Court The licence must be displayed in a prominent place in an area accessible to the public For mobile collectors it must be displayed in a manner which enables the licence to be easily read by a person outside the vehicle
It will be an offence if the identity and the address of a person from whom scrap metal is received is not verified The Secretary of State will make regulations prescribing what documents will be sufficient to prove identity e.g. Passport/driving licence
Section 12 makes it an offence to buy scrap metal for cash Payments can only be made by cheque or electronic transfer
A record must be kept of the type of metal purchased; the time/date of the transaction; personal information on the seller; proof of an non-cash transaction Similar records have to be kept of any disposal of scrap Police and local authority officers have a right of entry to licensed premises