Agenda item

Members to receive presentation from the Assistant Director (Leisure, Community and Cultural Services) on the Community Lottery.

Members received a presentation from the Assistant Director (Leisure, Community and Cultural Services) on the Community Lottery.

The Community Lottery will be replacing the Small community grants and was agreed at Cabinet in February 2023.

It was noted a tender was carried out in 2022/23 for a community lottery operator.

The Council applied for and successfully obtained a Gambling Licence in May 2023.

The Council has partnered with Gatherwell to deliver the One Welwyn Hatfield

Community Lottery.

The aims of the Lottery are:

·       Delivering the proceeds locally – a Welwyn Hatfield Community Lottery would deliver benefits to local causes only i.e. players can be assured that the proceeds will stay within Welwyn Hatfield borough.

·       Maximising benefits to the community – to bolster support and to help in continuing the good work that the Council already does. 60% of proceeds will go to good local causes.

·       Delivering winners locally – whilst anyone could play, it is likely that players will be locally based, and hence it will be easier to maximise the value from winners’ stories and encourage more participation.

Members were shown the proposed eligibility criteria for the community lottery and what the council will not fund.

Members were shown how the lottery worked for supporters and how the lottery worked for the good causes.

The tickets for the lottery cost just £1 a week. Each ticket has a 1 in 50 chance to win a prize each week, with a top prize of £25,000.

Each ticket has six numbers and each number is between 0 and 9. There will be a draw every Saturday night when a six digit winning combination will be picked. Prizes will be given to players with tickets that match the first or last 2 to 6 numbers from the winning combination. Match all six and organisations can win the jackpot.

The role of the Grants Board would be to agree the Eligibility Criteria for good causes, receive updates on good causes that have registered and receive quarterly reports on the scheme.

The following points were noted:

·       Members asked in regards to the good causes, what support will the council give to them?  Officers stated that the council would providing the platform and supporting in the background, promoting the good causes but will not be promoting each one individually. The council will promote the community lottery as a whole. The community partnerships team will be managing the lottery. It was noted Gatherwell will manage the lottery.

·       Members were concerned that some of the small causes may not be able to promote themselves, for example the Welwyn Hatfield Womens Refuge.  Officers stated that conditions could be added such as only limiting the turnover of organisations that are eligible but this could be legally challenged.

·       Members were concerned about some of the smaller causes who do not have the reach or community presence like bigger organisations and wanted there to be a priority to help the smaller organisations. 

·       Members asked if East Herts Council had any issues with the Community Lottery? Officers stated that they did not know of any issues.  It was noted the process for the lottery was straightforward and there were not many forms to complete.

·       Members were not happy that there was no cross-party involvement on the community lottery and that it went straight to Cabinet.

·       Officers stated the council were now in contract with Gatherwell and this was agreed at Cabinet.  There will be a report to members quarterly on the community lottery and how it is doing. It was noted the small community grants were undersubscribed and money was left over.

·       It was noted the lottery money would go straight to the organisations page.

·       Members asked if the lottery was a pilot scheme and how long was it for? Officers stated the community lottery has been launched, the council are working with Gatherwell.  It is a new concept and will work within the scope of the board.

·       It was noted tickets were £1 and there will be a limit to how many tickets can be bought. Officers gave an overview of how the ticket-money is distributed, and agreed to provide a more detailed breakdown following the meeting

·       Members asked how much the top prize was?   Officers confirmed it was £25,000.

·       There were 450 active charities in Welwyn Hatfield borough.

·       Members wanted to look into ways that foodbanks and equalities could be promoted.

·       It was noted the lottery runs every week and supporters can pay direct debit or payment card.

·       There will be policies published on the council website such as safeguarding and gambling.

·       Gatherwell had their own internal processes to comply to such as not being able to purchase tickets on the day of the draw.

·       Gatherwell has 400 registered groups.  It is a well promoted scheme and they know how it works.

·       Members wanted the Community Lottery to go to Overview and Scrutiny Committee after the first year.  Officers stated they will look into it and add it to the work programme for the next year.

·       Members wanted a special Grants Board meeting once the community lottery has been launched to see how it is working if required.

·       Members wanted officers to be available to speak to charities and make them aware of the scheme.   Officers stated they will look into it and will be available to speak to charities and offer support.

RESOLVED:

Members agreed the proposed eligibility criteria for the Community Lottery.