Agenda item

A report of the Head of Neighbourhood Services to review the Charnwood Community Lottery scheme 18 months after the first lottery draw in line with the original Cabinet report recommendations (18 Jan 2018 Min 80).

Anthony O’Brien left the meeting at approximately 7:20pm.

Verity Graham experienced connectivity issues during the consideration of this item.

A Cabinet report of the Head of Neighbourhood Services to review the Charnwood Community Lottery scheme 18 months after the first lottery draw in line with the original Cabinet report recommendations was considered for pre-decision scrutiny (item 9b on the agenda filed with these minutes).

The Lead Member for Community Support and Equalities, the Head of Neighbourhood Services and the Neighbourhoods and Partnerships Manager assisted with the consideration of this item. The following summarises the discussion:

      i.        The Community Lottery was promoted by Officers at local events and on market days in Loughborough Town Centre.

    ii.        The Community Lottery scheme had maintained its support throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, despite an anticipated decrease. It was considered that without the pandemic, support for the lottery may have increased.

   iii.        Officer time was not specifically allocated to the promotion of the Charnwood Lottery, but was part of all roles within the team. Promotional activities involved Officers discussing the scheme with members of the public and community organisations where possible and regular promotion through the internal Communications team at the Council. Therefore, it was difficult to identify a specific financial cost to the Council.

   iv.        There was a suggestion that the lottery be promoted wider and that an increase in communications were targeted at players in order to increase understanding of the process and the way in which the money raised was utilised by the organisations that benefitted. It was highlighted that the individual organisations involved in the scheme were responsible for their own promotional activities and that this varied. The Council regularly liaised with organisations involved to encourage an increase in their communications and marketing to customers and would continue to do so. Training had been organised by the Council in order to further facilitate this, although this did not occur due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The target of 1,000 ticket sales per year was encouraged by a strategy involving an enhanced communications plan which would begin in the coming weeks.

    v.        It was suggested that the Council provided guidance and further information on the process of the scheme as it was acknowledged that some players were not fully aware of the positive impact that the lottery had on the community. There was extensive information available on the website and this would be highlighted to players.

   vi.        The scheme did not involve intensive marketing towards existing, previous or potential supporters.

RESOLVED

1.    that the Cabinet be informed that the Commission supports the recommendations as set out in the report of the Head of Neighbourhood Services.

2.    that the Head of Neighbourhood Services be asked to review the way the Council communicates to its Lottery supporters on its impact within the community.

Reasons 

1.    The Commission, having carefully considered the report, felt the Cabinet should approve the recommendations set out.

2.    To ensure supporters of the Charnwood Community Lottery were knowledgeable and informed on the scheme and the positive impact which they were funding.

Verity Graham left the meeting at approximately 7:40pm.