Support for community lottery for Daventry district to be weighed up

The scheme, which would offer weekly cash prizes, is being explored in a bid to boost the amount of funding available to community and voluntary groups in the area.

People would have the option to assign a portion of their ticket price to the local community group of their choice, with a further portion going into a general fund to be redistributed as community grants. A small proportion of the money generated would need to go to the External Lottery Management firm running the scheme, but none of the income would be kept by DDC.

Similar lotteries run by other local authorities charge £1 a ticket, with cash prizes ranging from £25 to £25,000.

The idea was discussed at DDC’s strategy group last Thursday.

The consultation’s aim is to gauge the level of interest in the lottery as well as help determine the level of prize money and what percentage of the proceeds from ticket sales would go to local community groups.

Cllr Alan Hills, community, culture and leisure portfolio holder at DDC, said: “Last year we awarded more than £163,000 of grant funding to more than 40 community and voluntary groups. Unfortunately, there is only so much to go around.

“Community lotteries have proven successful in other authorities, and if one were to be introduced here it might provide a great boost to our community groups.”

People can have their say via www.daventrydc.gov.uk/consultation before Monday October 31. Paper versions of the consultation are available from DDC on 01327 871100.