CHARITIES in Redditch have raised concerns about the introduction of the town’s Community Lottery Scheme.
The webpage to buy the tickets will be launched on December 17 with punters able to choose which local Voluntary Community Sector (VCS) will benefit from 50 per cent of their stake money.
The rest of the cash will go to the borough council, into prize money and the running of the scheme.
However the scheme won’t be open for just charities to benefit but for other organisations like sports clubs and other groups.
“It will take the lottery a long time to get anywhere near filling the funding grant VCS groups are facing,” said Gary Roskell of Bromsgrove and Redditch Network (BARN).
“There’s also an ethical dilemma. Charities will have to sell to their supporters or users and if you are working with people who have financial issues, who are unemployed or who are elderly it’s difficult to getting them into something which is effectively gambling.
“I can see it working well for sports clubs but if you’re only dealing with the vulnerable that restricts your ability to sell lottery tickets, doesn’t it?
“So it’s a great Christmas present.”
The Labour leader of the council, Councillor Bill Hartnett, said: “This council is in financial difficulties because of the decisions they have made on spending and the pay rises they have given themselves.
“Now they are proposing 300 per cent rent increases for the VCS and expecting a lottery to fill the hole.
“We have always been against this. It is encouraging gambling, we’re giving £10,000 to a private company to run it for us and it will be taking money away from charities like the Primrose Hospice.
“Where would you rather the money went?”
Council lottery tickets will be available from www.redditchbc.gov.uk/lottery from December 17
