City lottery to get go ahead

Gambling

A new Peterborough Lottery is set to begin in the autumn with a jackpot of £25,000.

Peterborough City Council’s cabinet is expected to give the green light to the lottery when it meets on Monday.

If approved, tickets will be sold online for £1 and there will be a range of smaller prizes on offer as well as the jackpot.

Sixty per cent of the proceeds raised will go to good causes, with the aim of raising around £5,500 in the first year and £67,500 by year three.

The council announced its intention to launch the lottery in its 2017/18 budget proposals which were approved by councillors in March.

Cllr John Holdich, leader of the council, said: “A number of other local authorities have launched lotteries and they have proved a success, helping those councils to further support local voluntary and community groups.

“In its first year, the Aylesbury Vale District Council lottery generated over £70,000 for local good causes, exceeding all original targets when launched.

“If just 0.5 per cent of our population who will be eligible to play did so, it would generate a benefit to the community of £22,000. That’s a fantastic amount which could have huge benefits to our residents.

“We will not take a penny of the profits made, but it will allow us to spend less of our ever dwindling budget on community grants.”