OXFORD is set to get its own lottery in a bid to raise money for charity groups hit by austerity.

At an Oxford City Council meeting last night councillors roundly approved plans to launch an Oxford lottery.

The scheme, which will be an online lottery, is expected to raise about £60,000 a year for local good causes.

Councillor Susan Brown, Board Member for Customer and Corporate Services, said: “Although the council gives more than £1.4 million a year to voluntary and community groups, we can’t meet demand for grants.

"Last year, we received applications for three times the amount of money we had available.

"The Oxford Lottery is a great opportunity to raise money for good causes in the city, and lottery players will be able to nominate their own favourite groups to receive money from the lottery.

"We believe the Oxford Lottery will be able to raise at least £60,000 a year for good causes working in the city.”

Tickets will cost £1 and 50p will be returned back to the purchaser's nominated fund.

8p goes to a central council fund, 20p to the prize fund, 18p to an external lottery manager and 4p to VAT.

There was concern at the executive board meeting, however, of the city council, which will have to apply for a gaming licence from the Gambling Commission, encouraging gambling.

Speaking at the meeting Susan Brown told members: "A number of people have been concerned about the fact that this is the council supporting some kind of gambling.

"We would want to re-iterate that this is hardly what would be considered high stakes and high frequency and the kind of gambling that is highly addictive."

Under the scheme Oxford Lottery players will be able to nominate their favourite local good causes as beneficiaries from the lottery, or to support a general fund. 

Voluntary and community groups will also be able to sign themselves up as potential beneficiaries of the general fund.

Each local good cause supported by the Oxford Lottery will have their own page within the lottery website.