Small voluntary, community and grassroots organisations in London are likely to suffer disproportionately from the diversion of Lottery money to the 2012 Olympics, a new report from the London Assembly claims.
The Economic Development, Culture, Sport and Tourism Committee (EDCSTC) says that London will lose around £440m of Lottery funding through the diversion of £2.2bn ‘good causes’ money. Dee Doocey AM, who chairs EDCSTC, said, “We are not denying that the capital will reap huge benefits as host city of the 2012 Games. However, our investigation shows that the on-the-ground opportunities Londoners were promised are at risk.” The report recommends that the Mayor should work to create a single ‘London Cultural Olympiad funding pot’ by August 2008 to provide money for small projects participating in the ‘third tier’ of the Cultural Olympiad.