Community lottery 'significantly below' income target of £100k

South Staffordshire Community Lottery was launched in 2017 to raise funds to support the district’s community and voluntary sectors.

One of South Staffordshire Council’s targets is for the lottery to raise £100,000 of income.

But the target was not met by the end of the 2018/19 financial year, a performance report presented to the district council’s cabinet meeting on Tuesday revealed.

The report said: “As of 4 April 2019 the South Staffordshire Community Lottery has generated £45,500 of income to support the voluntary and community sector. Although this is considerably below target, new good causes have recently signed up and as a result ticket sales are at their highest. Live ticket sales are currently at 875.

“In order to support officers with marketing and public relations a new marketing consultancy has now been appointed. The South Staffordshire Community Lottery will be a key focus area.”

The council also missed a target in the final three months of 2018/19 to ensure that 80 per cent of planning enforcement cases were investigated and concluded within 12 weeks. Instead 77 per cent were resolved within the 12 week target.

The report said: “There has been a year on year increase in the number of cases reported to the team which has impacted on performance; cases increased from 624 in 2017/18 to 707 in 2018/19, a 13 per cent increase.

"In addition the team were involved in a number of complex and lengthy cases, including two Proceeds of Crime cases which will result in £45,000 in forfeited money coming into the council to tackle crime and antisocial behaviour.

“It is also important to note that the team covering planning enforcement also covers environmental crime cases such as fly tipping; as members will be aware the team has spent a large amount of time seeking to tackle fly tipping. Recent figures show that nationally fly tipping incidents have risen by 39 per cent in the last five years.”

Most of the 13 council plan targets were being met however, the report added, and key service targets were on track.

A “strong financial result” was recorded, including a £2.868m improvement against budget.

Council leader Brian Edwards said: “The district finances are in a very healthy position going forward.

“We will keep an eye on targets that are not quite there – I don’t think there are any of particular concern.

“The lottery has just done £50,000. It means that’s the sum of money we are going to give out to the voluntary sector. They are already receiving money because of their own organisational efforts.”

Each lottery ticket costs £1 a week and draws are held weekly, with a top prize of £25,000 on offer. There are also smaller prizes of £2,000, £250, £25 or three extra tickets

For each ticket bought 50p supports the good cause a player selects when purchasing their, ticket, 10p is used to support other good causes in South Staffordshire, 20p goes to prizes and 20p is for administration of the lottery and VAT.