Issue - meetings

Report of Commercial Director

Purpose of report

To gain agreement to launch an online and fully automated Cherwell Lottery that will help fund discretionary support to voluntary and  community  (VCS)  organisations  active  in  Cherwell  and  to enable such organisations to raise funds directly for themselves.

The proposal is for the Council to be an enabler and use the services of an External Lottery Manager (ELM) to run the lottery.

Recommendations

The meeting is recommended:

1.  1     To agree the proposal that an online Cherwell Lottery be launched as detailed in the attached business case. This includes a financial contribution and in-kind support, subject to this being funded from existing resources.

1.2       That subject to procurement, due diligence and the with the guidance contained in the Joint Contract Procedure Rules, the Council uses an external lottery manager (ELM) to run and operate the lottery and shares the risk of running it with them.

1.3       That the Council agreesto provide £3K for set-up costs and £1k for the annual license andadministration costs. In the first year the Council allocates £1.5K for marketingfunded from existingresources, and £350 annually for on-going marketing (the majority of marketing material is paid for by the External Lottery Manager).

1.4       To agree that an annual review of the Cherwell Lottery is reported to Executive on the anniversary of its launch.

Resolved

(1)          That the proposal that an online Cherwell Lottery be launched as detailed in the business case (annex to the Minutes as set out in the Minute Book) and that this includes a financial contribution and in-kind support, subject to this being funded from existing resources, be agreed.

(2)          That it be agreed that subject to procurement, due diligence and compliance with the guidance contained in the Joint Contract Procedure Rules, the council uses an external lottery manager (ELM) to run and operate the lottery and shares the risk of running it with them.

(3)          That agreement be given to the council providing £3K for set-up costs and £1k for the annual license andadministration costs and that in the first year the council allocates £1.5K for marketingfunded from existingresources, and £350 annually for on-going marketing (the majority of marketing material is paid for by the External Lottery Manager).

(4)          That it be agreed that an annual review of the Cherwell Lottery be reported to Executive on the anniversary of its launch.

The Commercial Director submitted a report to gain agreement to launch an online and fully automated Cherwell Lottery that will help fund discretionary support to voluntary and community organisations active in Cherwell and to enable such organisations to raise funds directly for themselves.

The proposal was for the Council to be an enabler and use the services of an External Lottery Manager to run the lottery.

Resolved

(1)          That the proposal that an online Cherwell Lottery be launched as detailed in the business case (annex to the Minutes as set out in the Minute Book) and that this includes a financial contribution and in-kind support, subject to this being funded from existing resources, be agreed.

(2)          That it be agreed that subject to procurement, due diligence and compliance with the guidance contained in the Joint Contract Procedure Rules, the council uses an external lottery manager (ELM) to run and operate the lottery and shares the risk of running it with them.

(3)          That agreement be given to the council providing £3K for set-up costs and £1k for the annual license andadministration costs and that in the first year the council allocates £1.5K for marketingfunded from existingresources, and £350 annually for on-going marketing (the majority of marketing material is paid for by the External Lottery Manager).

(4)          That it be agreed that an annual review of the Cherwell Lottery be reported to Executive on the anniversary of its launch.

Reasons

The Community Lottery business case brings together information from councils who have provided a community lottery and the provider of External Lottery Management (ELM). A Cherwell Lottery has the potential to help the VCS sector operating within Cherwell by helping address funding pressures they may be facing. This could benefit all people and communities in the district.

The success of the AVDC lottery has been reviewed and is considered to be robust; within the first six months, their lottery has exceeded all expectations with 115 organisations having joined (their target was just 10-20).

Therefore this report recommends that a local community lottery be created for CDC with the ticket price is set at £1 per ticket, the services of an External Lottery Manager (ELM) being used to run the lottery and that CDC provide £3K for set-up costs and £1k for the annual license and administration costs. Further, in the first year the Council allocates £1.5K each for marketing funded from existing resources, and £350 annually for on-going marketing.

Alternative options

Option 1: Not to agree the proposals. This is not recommended as the proposal will help to fund discretionary support to the voluntary and community organisations and enable such organisations raise funds directly for themselves. All funds raised through the lottery would be spent within the district and benefit local people and communities.