Blackburn, Darwen and Hyndburn Citizen - the newspaper for our community.

'Unfair lottery' claim over grants

From the Lancashire Evening Telegraph, first published Tuesday 19th Nov 2002.

COUNCILLORS today condemned a prize draw offering home improvement grants as an 'unfair lottery' which could leave people out in the cold.

Burnley Council is set to give away 50 home improvement grants worth £500 each as part of a special prize draw at two events this week. But the scheme has been criticised because it takes no account of the merit of each case and those most in need of the cash may go empty handed.

Councillors in the wards where the contest will run today pledged to look into the scheme.

The grants will be available to homeowners and tenants of privately rented property in the regeneration areas of Burnley Wood, Brunshaw, Trinity and the south part of Bankhall.

Residents who attend one of two events at the Burnley Wood One Stop Shop in Springfield Road and complete a simple questionnaire will be put into the draw.

The two sessions will be held today from 6-8.30pm and Thursday from 1-3.30pm.

The grants will be used to pay for home energy efficiency measures such as loft and cavity insulation or draught exclusion.

David Halsall, Labour councillor for Brunshaw, said: "This is not something that should be treated as a lottery.

"Grants like this should be decided on the merit of each individual case rather than being drawn out of a hat.

"I'll certainly be looking into this because it sounds wrong."

Tony Lambert, Labour councillor for Trinity ward, added: "I'll be asking questions about this because it should not be done in a lottery form. I don't agree with the way this has been handled."

But Coun Donald Hall, Burnley Couincil executive portfolio holder for housing, said: "The executive recently allocated additional resources to be spent on improving homes through energy efficiency grants.

"The outcome of this initiative will ensure at least 50 extra Burnley residents will enjoy a warmer and more comfortable winter, while at the same time saving money on fuel bills and helping reduce their impact on the environment."

Michael Bailey, project manager at the Brunshaw Action Group, a residents' association based in Brunshaw Avenue, said the draw was also unfair because it would favour people from Burnley Wood.

He added: "I'm not aware of these events and I'm sure most people in Brunshaw aren't either.

"Even if they were, most people from this area would not travel to Burnley Wood.

"Why couldn't they hold the events in different areas to make it fairer?"

Christian Smith, of the borough council's housing needs and strategy unit said the system had been designed to reach as many people as possible.

He added: "I wouldn't say the system is a lottery, it's supposed to reach as many people as we possibly can.

"We could either have done it on a first-come, first-served basis or in the form of a prize draw.

"This seemed to be the best way."

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