VOLUNTEER and charitable organisations could be benefiting from Powys County Council’s Local Authority Lottery scheme next year.
At Wednesday’s (November 28) cabinet meeting members voted overwhelmingly in favour of the scheme despite some concerns that it could affect gambling addicts.
Volunteer organisations that had met members of the cabinet at the winter show in Llanelwedd had backed and been “excited” by the scheme which will benefit them.
Council leader Cllr Rosemarie Harris said: “This would support the charitable sector, voluntary groups, churches, all sorts.
“We are in a state of reduced funding and for some years it has become increasingly difficult for us to provide grants to any community groups.
“Some community groups provide valuable support to us.”
Cllr Harris said: “I view it very much like a raffle.
“We have already applied for a gambling licence and would look to set it up in the early spring.”
But some had reservations about creating the lottery which could harm some sections of society,
Cllr Stephen Hayes, cabinet member for Adult Services, said: “I do have to bear in mind a small number of people in Powys are gambling addicts.
“I would feel uneasy potentially adding anything that could add to the burden of their addictions. I don’t feel I can support this.”
Education portfolio holder Cllr Myfanwy Alexander pointed out that lotteries run by local authorities in England had not produced a new wave of social evils
PCC will now invite Gatherwell, which runs a lottery at Aylesbury Vale District Council in England, to run the lottery in Powys.
Tickets would be bought online and cost £1 with a maximum jackpot of £25,000 for matching all six numbers.
It is expected from the report that: “Sixty per cent of all ticket sales would go to good causes, this compares to 28 per-cent in the National Lottery.”
PCC estimated that typically between £30,000 to £60,000 can be raised for good causes on an annual basis.