Issue - meetings

Report of the Cabinet Member Healthy Lifestyles

RESOLVED THAT

a)           A Cheltenham Lottery be established to create a longer-term sustainable source of funds that will support our people and communities to thrive.

b)           the council submit an application to the Gambling Commission to be the licence holder and that the Executive Director Finance and Assets and the Strategy and Engagement Manager be appointed to be responsible for holding the licence and submit the necessary application to the Gambling Commission.

The Cabinet Member Healthy Lifestyles introduced the report which proposed the establishment of a Cheltenham Lottery to create a longer-term sustainable source of funds that would support our people, good causes and communities to thrive.

She reported that there were now over 60 councils operating or in the process of setting up a local Community Lottery as a means of accessing a new funding stream to support local good causes. Whatever the type of lottery, it was required to deliver a minimum of 20% of proceeds to good causes. It was proposed that 60% of the proceeds of the Cheltenham Lottery were allocated to good causes.

The Council would be the overall licence holder with two responsible officers named to administer it. The licence was renewable annually and the licence holders would be required to provide monthly returns to the commission.

The Cabinet Member reported that the beneficiary of the central fund was the No Child Left Behind year of action until at such point that Cabinet agreed a replacement good cause.

Finally, she wished to put on record her thanks to the Executive Director Finance and Assets, Paul Jones and the Strategy and Engagement Manager, Richard Gibson for enabling this to be established.

When asked what the incentive was for playing the Cabinet Member explained that this was principally to donate to good causes and people across Cheltenham would have the opportunity to decide which organisation they wished to support. There would, on a regular basis, be a lottery draw with small prizes of up to £25k. She emphasised that there was no ‘instant’ gratification or ‘instant reward’ to taking part.

Finally, the Leader added that the Cheltenham Lottery would provide another source of funding to community groups who were already eligible to apply for community pride funding, awarded by the council.

RESOLVED THAT

a)           A Cheltenham Lottery be established to create a longer-term sustainable source of funds that will support our people and communities to thrive.

b)           the council submit an application to the Gambling Commission to be the licence holder and that the Executive Director Finance and Assets and the Strategy and Engagement Manager be appointed to be responsible for holding the licence and submit the necessary application to the Gambling Commission.