Latest news with #communitybenefit
Times of Oman
a day ago
- General
- Times of Oman
Phase One of Al Yasmeen Park Project in Al Suwaiq completed
Al Suwaiq: The Municipality of North Al Batinah has completed the first phase of Al Yasmeen Park project in Al Bidiyah area, the Wilayat of Al Suwaiq, at a cost of OMR212,460. Spanning a total area of 19,000 square metres, the project was executed over 347 days. The first phase included the implementation of irrigation systems, construction of a 30,000-litre underground water tank, and installation of a comprehensive electrical network supported by modern lighting poles. Additionally, pedestrian pathways stretching 644 metres were established, along with the surfacing of 6,182 square metres of flooring. A dedicated children's play area covering 1,525 square metres was also developed, complemented by the installation of seating and service facilities to enhance the efficiency of the public space. The second phase of the project will involve landscaping works, including tree planting and green spaces, as well as the installation of additional playground equipment. These efforts aim to fully develop the park into a modern facility that caters to all age groups while contributing to the urban enhancement of the area. Al Yasmeen Park is among the qualitative projects implemented by the Municipality of North Al Batinah across the governorate, as part of its efforts to develop and upgrade public spaces for comprehensive community benefit.
ABC News
29-06-2025
- Business
- ABC News
NT clubs 'whitewashing' pokies revenue through community benefit fund, critics say
Northern Territory social clubs are paying as little as 0.01 per cent of millions of dollars in pokies revenue into a fund designed to redistribute gambling losses for community benefit. The NT's 20 licensed not-for-profit clubs contributed less than $4 million of the community benefit fund's (CBF) $23 million total revenue last financial year, with the cash required to be redirected to gambling amelioration and research and community grants. That figure represents 9.5 per cent of the $41.65 million in total gaming revenue collected across all clubs, according to the CBF annual report. But unlike hotels and casinos, which must pay a flat 10 per cent levy into the CBF, clubs only have to report whatever voluntary contributions they make, whether cash or "in kind". In 2023-24, three clubs — the Darwin Bowls and Social Club, the Darwin Trailer Boat Club and St Mary's Football Sporting and Social Club — elected to contribute $0 in cash. Instead, those clubs made in "in kind" contributions to the sum of $218,327, from a total combined revenue of $328,174. NT government guidelines define "in kind" contributions as including "discounts on a range of goods or services provided by clubs, or the free or subsidised use of a club's facilities or equipment". Of the clubs that did pay into the CBF, the most generous contributor in 2023-24 was the Katherine Country Club, which paid more than a third of its $2.8 million in gaming revenue, or just over $1 million, into the fund. The least generous contributor was the Darwin Golf Club, which paid in just $1,950, less than 0.01 per cent of its total poker machine revenue of more than $2 million. Affiliates of other clubs also received generous NT government funding in the same financial year. They included affiliates of Silks Darwin and the Tracy Village Social & Sports Club (TVSSC), which contributed 2.8 per cent and 1.4 per cent of their $3.7 million and $3.1 million in pokies takings to the fund respectively. Thoroughbred Racing NT (TRNT) — which contributed more than $3 million to Silks owner, the Darwin Turf Club, in 2023-24 — pocketed a $15.7 million racing industry grant. TVSSC took home a $26,390 visitor experience enhancement program (VEEP) grant, while at the same time its affiliated cricket and football clubs each received funding directly from the CBF, including $200,000 for a "complete overhaul of [the] pump and irrigation system". In total, TVSSC and its affiliate sporting clubs pocketed $241,150 in government funding in 2023-24 while contributing just $44,629 in cash and $320,013 "in kind" to the CBF — receiving a total of $170,131 more out of the CBF than they put in. The CBF is governed by the Gaming Control Act, which lists among its objectives the promotion of "a balanced contribution by the gaming industry to general community benefit and amenity". But Monash University gambling researcher Charles Livingstone said there was "a real lack of transparency" in the NT scheme, branding it "a whitewashing exercise". "It's an alibi to provide the cover for pokies venues that somehow they're contributing to the community when in fact they are imposing considerable harm," he said. "And the benefits that they provide to the community through these types of activities are often a tiny proportion of the harm that is inflicted." Dr Livingstone said a less "opaque" approach would be to "simply take a bigger share of pokies revenue into general taxation revenue". "I think if the system is to persist then the community needs to know where the club money is going, and there needs to be tight guidelines against this double dipping," he said. Gerry Wood is a patron of the Southern Districts Cricket Club, which received $178,000 in grants under the CBF in 2023-24. He said while the club was happy with its facilities, he was concerned about fairness across the competition when some teams could access the CBF on top of potential pokies revenue from an affiliated venue. "Should there be a level playing field or should [some] clubs have an advantage?" he said. "I think that's an opportune time for the government to say, 'Well look, let's have a look at it and see if it's actually doing what the legislation said it should do,' and if the legislation needs changing, well so be it." Retired Darwin public servant Doug, who asked for his surname not to be used, was addicted to gambling on poker machines for the best part of two decades and estimates he lost hundreds of thousands of dollars before finally kicking the habit three years ago. "I'd spend a fortnight's wages in three hours and I'd be left with the food I had at home or the loose change in my pocket," he said. The 62-year-old said if not-for-profit clubs were "committed to doing something to benefit the community", they would find a way to "do it without having to raise funds from gambling". "I think any money that comes from gambling can't repay the way it was earned, it's already done a lot of damage coming into existence," he said. "If it's used for anything of a social benefit it's only part of the value that it used to have. "The parents of sporting teams are often happy to contribute — they're less able to contribute if they're putting the money into poker machines and relying on then a portion of that money coming back through the venues." Mr Wood said Southern Districts had previously considered getting its own poker machines to help raise revenue, but decided against it. "Even though some sporting groups might like the idea, I'm not sure the community as a whole really wants to see an expansion of poker machines," he said. None of the NT social clubs responded to questions from the ABC. In a statement, NT Racing Minister Marie-Clare Boothby said "in kind" contributions were "often in the form of subsidised or free access to facilities". "That's a real, measurable benefit, especially for smaller groups that rely on this support," she said. "All contributions, including in-kind, must be itemised, and are scrutinised to ensure they meet the guidelines." Ms Boothby said while venues with gaming machines were barred from applying for CBF grants, their affiliated sporting clubs were "financially independent and assessed separately on merit". "We will always consider improvements to legislation to ensure it reflects community expectations — but we are also mindful of unintended consequences," she said. "A flat levy on clubs could result in reduced support for local not-for-profits or even club closures, especially in regional areas."
CBS News
26-06-2025
- Business
- CBS News
"eBay for government" helps agencies and schools auction off property, Municibid founder says
A little slice of land in Ambridge Borough could be yours at a steep discount, and all the proceeds will benefit the local community. "We're like an eBay for government," said Greg Berry, CEO and founder of online government auction site Municibid. Berry says his company helps local governments auction off anything, from parcels of land and old desks to school buses and riding mowers. So far, about 7,000 local governments and schools use the online site to sell unneeded items to the public. The latest listing in Ambridge consists of a nearly 4,000-square-foot parcel of land along Glenwood Drive. Twenty-two bids have already been placed at just over $5,000. "A lot of times, smaller towns, and larger ones, have excess land or land that they've come into own in some form, and they don't have a need for it and they're looking to sell it," said Berry. He said maybe in this case, a neighbor wants to expand or a new park could pop up in the space. Berry says governments sell just about everything on his site. "While it's typically vehicles and heavy equipment and tools and land and things that you might expect the government to have and no longer need, it could be anything, such as sailboats and airplanes and jewelry and electric guitars," Berry said. Municibid allows consumers to sort and shop by state, borough or category. And when a winner scores a deal, here's how the costs break down. "When the auction closes and there's a winning bidder, the winning bidder pays us 9% of the winning bid amount, and then they pay 100% of the bid amount to the selling agency," Berry said. Gone are the days of going to the town hall to fill out a sealed bid. Berry told KDKA he used to work as a borough councilor and found that process far from transparent. "No one knew what the governments were selling, and if they did, the process was super inconvenient and intimidating and just wasn't very easy," said Berry. Besides the Ambridge property, KDKA found a lot of items up for grabs in the Pittsburgh area, including an ATV in Mt. Lebanon, a 2020 Ford Explorer in Castle Shannon, a Ford Crown Victoria police car in New Castle, and golf carts in Greensburg. Berry told KDKA some parents snag their teenagers' first car on the site, or business owners land some needed equipment at a fraction of the price.
BBC News
05-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Botley West Solar Farm: Land near airport removed from plans
A portion of land near an airport will no longer be included in plans for one of Europe's largest solar farms. Botley West Solar Farm will cover about 1,000 hectares (2,471 acres) of countryside at three sites in west Oxfordshire if approved. Developers Photo Vault Development Partners (PVDP) said it had now scaled the proposal back by 10 hectares - equivalent to about 16 football pitches - after Oxford Airport raised concerns about building on land that could potentially be needed in the event of an emergency landing. The £800m development has been designated as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project and is currently being evaluated by the government. It would see panels installed in countryside north of Woodstock, west of Kidlington and west of said it would now not be installing solar panels on "sensitive areas" identified for potential emergency landings by aircraft operating from Oxford Airport."We have... agreed to remove panels from areas identified as particularly sensitive, in direct response to local concerns," Mark Owen-Lloyd, director of Botley West Solar Farm, said."These changes reflect our commitment to working in partnership and cooperation with the communities around Botley West and ensuring the project delivers real, lasting benefits where they are most needed," he developers also announced that it had doubled its community benefit fund to £440,000 a year following discussions with local suggested the investment could be used to upgrade community facilities, develop youth and skills programmes and to support local sustainability announcements come in the same week that West Oxfordshire District Council said the development would cause "major harm lasting generations" and should be "dramatically reduced" in comments, which included that the proposals were "detrimental" to the area, came in the council's final written submission to the said it disagreed with the local authority and had made several changes to the proposed locations of solar panels. You can follow BBC Oxfordshire on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
BBC News
25-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
New homes plan for site in Clowne shelved
Plans to build council homes on a plot of land in Clowne have been District Council says the site, off Rood Lane, will be removed from its new homes programme due to the complexities around building at the the authority will explore using the land as a sports pitch or nature area."We have looked at the options available for this site and we feel it is in the best interests of the council and the local area to remove it from our Bolsover Homes building programme," said council leader Jane Yates. "We will now look to use this land for either Biodiversity Net Gain or leisure purposes that will benefit the local community, with a further report being submitted for our consideration."
