Chris Smith MP, secretary of state at the renamed Department for Culture, Media and Sport, published a White Paper on July 21, setting out proposed changes designed to create a “people’s lottery”. Centrepiece is a sixth ‘good cause’: the New Opportunities Fund for health, education and environmental projects. Its first three projects are the training of teachers and librarians in information technology, out-of-school activities, and a network of healthy living centres. The new fund will have a £1 billion allocation: the government argues that other causes will not lose out as total revenues are now predicted at £10 billion over the seven year licence, compared to the original £9 billion estimate.
The White paper also proposes that the distributors of the six funds must develop strategies, based on need, and that the law be changed to allow them to delegate decision-making, for example with a block allocation to local community trusts. Contact DCMS Enquiries on 0171 211 6200 www.culture.gov.uk
MILLENNIUM
The government has confirmed its support for Greenwich as the site for a major event marking the Millennium, renaming it the Millennium Experience and making Peter Mandelson MP the minister responsible. The Millennium Commission has emphasised that this will cost only a quarter of its £1.6 billion total fund. By the end of July, it had awarded £993 million to 111 capital projects across more than 2,000 separate sites. Contact Millennium Commission on 0171 880 2001
HERITAGE
The Heritage Lottery Fund has launched a consultation exercise on its funding priorities, in the light of the National Heritage Act 1997 which removes restrictions on who can apply for a grant. This opens the way for applications from private and commercial organisations.
The Fund has made three recent awards: in June, £8 million in 11 grants to projects in the North East of England; in July, £9 million for 32 urban parks restoration projects and ?17 million for diverse historic projects. Contact Heritage Fund on 0171 930 0963
ARTS
The Arts Council for England has made two awards: 69 projects totalling £24.8 million in June, including £10 million for an urban regeneration project converting Hackney’s Central Hall Trust into a live music venue, and another 95 projects totalling £22 million in July, including ?5 million for a contemporary dance centre in London. Contact Arts Council on 0171 333 0100
SPORTS
The Lottery Sport Fund run by the English Sports Council made its usual monthly announcements: £34 million during June in 90 awards, including two swimming projects each worth £8 million in Cambridge and Norwich, and £24 million in July to 97 projects. Contact Sports Council on 0171 273 1555
comment
No awards by the Charities Board this period, but plenty of good ideas from the government to refine and adapt the National Lottery in the light of the early years’ experience. For companies, the greatest significance is in the greater area focus.
The distributors will be required to work together more, following coherent strategies and consulting local interests. With the ability to block allocate to third parties, there is now the prospect of local consortia, with public, private and voluntary participation, coming together with ideas to develop their own communities. Plans for regional development agencies and devolved powers to Scotland and Wales point the same way – a fact reinforced by BITC’s decision to focus its regeneration effort on 40 local action areas. For companies, this represents both an opportunity to get more involved and a threat in greater demands for a contribution.
But don’t believe the government on two points. First, the original five causes will be hit by the creation of a sixth, as they have already been receiving enhanced income which will now have to be recouped through allocations lower even than the original estimates. Second, despite protestations about “additionality”, many of the new projects in health and education are clearly things that public expenditure would have funded in yester-year. Taxes smell less sour under other names.
COMMENTS