Issue - meetings

Report of Assistant Director - Communities

Purpose of report

In order to deliver the Cherwell Community Lottery approved in December 2016 it is necessary to establish and publish The Cherwell Community Lottery Policy and associated policies and procedures.  This will support the Council’s application to the Gambling Commission, and underpin the effective running of the Cherwell Community Lottery.

Recommendations

The meeting is recommended to:

 1.1        Approve establishment of the Cherwell Community Lottery Policy as set out at 3.4 below, and the associated procedures set out at annex 1 (attached).

1.2         Recommend Full Council to delegate responsibility for running the Cherwell Community Lottery to the Assistant Director – Communities

1.3         Recommend Full Council to delegate authority to the Assistant Director – Law & Governance to amend the Constitution and the Scheme of Delegation to reflect 1.2 above.

1.4         Approve Cherwell District Council becoming a member of The Lotteries Council.

1.5         Direct officers to develop criteria for the acceptance of supported ‘Good Cause’ organisations.

1.6         Direct officers to develop draft criteria for the distribution of the Cherwell Community Lottery ‘Central Fund’.

1.7         Direct officers to apply to the Gambling Commission for a Lottery Operator Licence which will require the appointment of two senior Council officers to be identified as ‘named officers’ on the operator licence for the purpose of the application and ‘in-house’ responsibility for the lottery once it is up and running.  The named officers shall be the Executive Director Wellbeing and the Assistant Director Communities.

Resolved

(1)          That the establishment of the Cherwell Community Lottery Policy and the associated procedures (annexes to the Minutes as set out in the Minute Book) be approved.

(2)          That Full Council be recommended to delegate responsibility for running the Cherwell Community Lottery to the Assistant Director – Communities.

(3)          That Full Council be recommended to delegate authority to the Assistant Director – Law & Governance to amend the Constitution and the Scheme of Delegation to reflect resolution (2) above.

(4)          That Cherwell District Council becoming a member of The Lotteries Council be approved.

(5)          That officers be requested to develop criteria for the acceptance of supported ‘Good Cause’ organisations.

(6)       Direct officers to develop draft criteria for the distribution of the   Cherwell Community Lottery ‘Central Fund’.

(7)       Direct officers to apply to the Gambling Commission for a Lottery Operator Licence which will require the appointment of two senior Council officers to be identified as ‘named officers’ on the operator licence for the purpose of the application and ‘in-house’ responsibility for the lottery once it is up and running.  The named officers shall be the Executive Director Wellbeing and the Assistant Director Communities.

The Assistant Director – Communities submitted a report which advised that in order to deliver the Cherwell Community Lottery approved in December 2016 it was necessary to establish and publish The Cherwell Community Lottery Policy and associated policies and procedures and sought approval of these policies and procedures. This would support the Council’s application to the Gambling Commission, and underpin the effective running of the Cherwell Community Lottery.

Resolved

(1)           That the establishment of the Cherwell Community Lottery Policy and the associated procedures (annexes to the Minutes as set out in the Minute Book) be approved.

(2)           That Full Council be recommended to delegate responsibility for running the Cherwell Community Lottery to the Assistant Director – Communities.

(3)           That Full Council be recommended to delegate authority to the Assistant Director – Law & Governance to amend the Constitution and the Scheme of Delegation to reflect resolution (2) above.

(4)           That Cherwell District Council becoming a member of The Lotteries Council be approved.

(5)           That officers be requested to develop criteria for the acceptance of supported ‘Good Cause’ organisations.

(6)      That officers be directed to develop draft criteria for the distribution of the   Cherwell Community Lottery ‘Central Fund’.

(7)      That officers be directed to apply to the Gambling Commission for a Lottery Operator Licence which will require the appointment of two senior Council officers to be identified as ‘named officers’ on the operator licence for the purpose of the application and ‘in-house’ responsibility for the lottery once it is up and running.  The named officers shall be the Executive Director Wellbeing and the Assistant Director Communities.

Reasons

Adoption and publication of the Cherwell Community Lottery Policy and membership of The Lotteries Council will enable Cherwell District Council to make a robust application to the Gambling Commission for a Lottery Licence.

Explicit delegation to the Assistant Director – Communities draws a clear line between the council’s licensing / enforcement duties and its community development functions.

Clear and fair guidelines regarding ‘Good Cause’ and grant eligibility will enable the smooth running of the Cherwell Community Lottery and demonstrate the Council’s commitment to local community development.

Alternative options

Option 1: To not adopt the Cherwell Community Lottery Policy – This would mean that an application for a Lottery Licence would be unlikely to be successful.

Option 2: To not delegate authority for the Lottery to the Assistant Director – Communities – This would lead to two service directorates being involved in the Lottery whereby the day-to-day running of the Lottery would rest with Communities while overall responsibility for the Lottery would remain with Public Health and Licensing.  This is considered likely to result in ‘disconnect’ and confusion. 

Option 3: To not require clear and fair guidelines regarding ‘Good Cause’ and grant eligibility – This would make the lottery difficult to manage and increase the likelihood of challenges in the event of the Council declining ‘Good Cause’ or grant applications.