'Desperate' use of scratch card profits is criticised
CULTURE and Leisure's 'desperate' banking of scratch card gambling profits as a long-term saving cannot be guaranteed year-on-year, it has been warned.
Public Accounts Committee chairwoman Heidi Soulsby, pictured, issued the warning as she accused Culture and Leisure and the Policy Council of 'stretching' the rules by classing £225,000 of scratch card sales as a legitimate savings project under the States Financial Transformation Programme, under the heading of 'increased fees or charges'.
The Policy Council, however, has defended its decision to allow the saving, which it said was set at a modest amount to ensure it was both recurring and sustainable.
The move will earn FTP consultants Capita just over £14,000 – 6.5% of the £225,000 – in a reward fee.
Public Accounts Committee is launching its own FTP review next month and Deputy Soulsby said the scratch card saving was likely to feature in its probe of savings in the 'fees and charges' category.
said.
'Then suddenly a lot of income could be lost. I think they are stretching it to put this under the FTP.'
