GOOD causes are to benefit from a weekly council-run lottery.

The year-long trial, which includes a £25,000 top prize and other smaller prizes, was approved by Horsham District Council.

A list of voluntary organisations and charities will be drawn up and will be given half the takings from the £1 tickets. 

This compares with less than 30 per cent going to good causes from the National Lottery.

A report to members said players would buy the tickets online, nominating a preferred cause to receive the money.

Another ten per cent would go to the council to cover the running costs of the scheme – marketing and promotion – to ensure that the scheme is self-funding, 20 per cent to prize money and three per cent VAT.

A further 17 per cent would go to an external lottery management company, which would be taken on to run the system.

If players did not nominate a good cause, all 60 per cent would go to the council fund.

This is in line with other councils such as Aylesbury and Oxford, and was described as “a small amount” by cabinet member Tricia Youtan.

She said the money would provide additional and sustainable financial support to local causes, with the potential to raise £113,000.