Work is taking place to ensure Lichfield is in a “prime position” to secure jobs moved out of Whitehall through the levelling up agenda, the leader of Lichfield District Council has said.
The Government plans to move 22,000 posts out of London by 2030 as part of plans to spread opportunity across the country.
At a meeting of Lichfield District Council, Cllr Paul Ray asked what was being done to ensure the city was able to secure a share of any jobs relocated to the Midlands.
The Liberal Democrat member for Chadsmead said:
“The district has an enormous amount to offer when it comes to the Government policy of levelling up and bringing Whitehall jobs out to the regions.
“Wolverhampton has a levelling up office that creates an enormous amount of employment, but what are we doing to lobby and persuade Government that Lichfield is well suited for Government type work?
“We have premises. For example, the Police Mutual is empty and could accommodate hundreds of people, and we have the skills in our workforce.”
Cllr Paul Ray, Lichfield District Council
Cllr Doug Pullen said discussions were taking place and that the long-awaited Birmingham Road Site redevelopment could also be a lure for such jobs.
“Lichfield is very much a place the Government wishes to level other places up to – we are a beacon of economic activity and we know people who live here earn much higher than average salaries on average.
“We have discussed how we might keep an eye on recent shuffles in Government to make sure we can lobby them.
“We also have a very active economic development team who are very focused on ensuring Lichfield – as a small city accessible to London – is in prime position to take some of those jobs.
“As part of Birmingham Road Site we are going to have grade A office space which would be absolutely ideal.
“We have plenty in motion to see the vision Cllr Ray sets out.”
Cllr Doug Pullen, Lichfield District Council
