New licensing system to fight scrap metal thieving

Until October 2013 the responsibility for licensing dealers in scrap metal lay with the Environment Agency. Under this regime a huge increase in theft of metal took place, with many dealers being ready to accept stolen metal and the EA showing itself to be incompetent to do much about it.

Under the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013 the responsibility for cleaning up the business has passed to councils.

Wiltshire Council set its fees for dealers at a meeting of the Licensing Committee on November 5th. It is charging £350 for a collector's license and £500 for a site license. Each license lasts for three years, unless the license holder is caught breaking the law or ceasing to be a 'fit and proper person', in which case the license can be revoked.