Decision details

The Portfolio Holder introduced the report which sought Members approval to undertake the necessary legal and project management tasks to develop and deliver a Local Authority lottery scheme for the benefit of the local voluntary sector and the residents of the Borough.

Two Members expressed concerns about the proposal in terms of its potential effect on those who may be susceptible to gambling addictions and whether such a lottery was sustainable given previous experience of an Ashford Borough Council run lottery scheme in the 1980s where initial interest very quickly lost momentum. They therefore wondered if a Council run lottery was an appropriate thing to be lending support to and whether there were better and more moral ways to raise funds for charitable causes. Both the Portfolio Holder and the Leader said they had some sympathy with those comments, but these matters had already been considered and this would not be a lottery of instant gratification such as scratchcards, game machines or online gaming/betting. Dover District Council had been running such a scheme since February and had been very successful, as had a number of other Local Authorities, in raising money for the local voluntary sector and local not for profit clubs.

Resolved:

That    (i)        a set up budget of circa £11,000 be agreed to be allocated that will     enable a Local Authority lottery scheme to be launched.

            (ii)       the Head of Culture and the Head of Legal and Democracy be authorised, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Culture, Tourism and Leisure, to agree and settle all necessary licences, legal requirements and documents and to contract with an External Lottery Manager to deliver an appropriate Local Authority lottery scheme for the Ashford Borough.