The Labour shadow cabinet at Lichfield District Council has been confirmed.
The local authority will meet for the first time this week after it moved to no overall control at the elections earlier this month.
The Labour group, who saw their numbers increase to 17 members, will sit alongside the 23 Conservative and seven Liberal Democrat councillors.
Cllr Sue Woodward, Labour group leader, said:
“There is a real opportunity now for Labour councillors to influence decision-making far more than has been possible in the past 24 years and we want to make sure that the communities we represent are listened to as well.
“There is amazing strength and depth of skills and experience across the Labour group.
“I’m proud to lead such a capable and committed group.”
Cllr Sue Woodward, Lichfield District Council
Along with deputy leader Cllr Dave Robertson the Labour front bench will lead on the themes of their 2023 manifesto:
- A Fair and Prosperous District – Cllr Darren Ennis
- A Greener District – Cllr Paul Taylor
- A Safer District – Cllr Di Evans
- A Healthier District – Cllr Claire Booker
- Place-making across the District – Cllr Colin Ball
Cllr Woodward added:
“We are waiting to hear the final details of Conservative cabinet appointments but, rather than shadowing an individual portfolio holder, we are intending to take a more thematic, cross-cutting approach to services and decision-making across the council as a whole.”
Cllr Sue Woodward, Lichfield District Council
What do any of these terms actually mean? So disappointed in Labour for not trying to form an administration. Am never voting for them again.
I feel deeply honoured and very proud that Sue has asked me to serve in her Shadow Cabinet. I’m really looking forward to working with Sue, Dave and the rest of our Labour Shadow Cabinet team, along with the wider hugely diverse and talented team of Labour Councillors across Lichfield District Council, Burntwood Town Council and Lichfield City Council, to see what parts of our great plan for a fairer, greener Lichfield we are able to make happen across Lichfield, Burntwood and our rural areas.
Colin labour hold all the cards so why the shadow cabinet
@WhittingtonMom…..same here. I was keen to see the Conservatives at LDC pay the price for their lack of delivery and poor performance locally and their blind support of Fabricant so I voted Labour for the first time ever. Labour repaid our faith in them by declining the chance to lead for once. So frustrating. Won’t make the same mistake again.
Cllr Colin Ball, as Labour as repeatedly committed to ensuring more funding goes into the rural areas, can you have a look at Fradley please? We’ve had/having thousands of houses built here and have seen very little CIL funds/investment for all the houses being built here. It’s a disgrace. We desperately need a GP facility in Fradley and a community facility like a pub. A pub operator will come to Fradley but someone needs to pay to build one.
@WhittingtonMom…. The history of coalition is that Lib Dems play second fiddle to the Tories. This usually means that Lib Dem policy is ignored.
Although there is no overall control of the council, it is unlikely that Labour and Lib Dems would cooperate on all but the most contentious issues to make a difference. As ever the Lib Dems have split the opposition vote.
These latest missives on ‘cabinet’ appointments just illustrates that the council will always put party politics before local needs; even if this means over development and depleted services.
If you want real change then you need to give a another party enough room to implement change.
If you don’t change things then they will stay the same. The local election has still not given our district what it needs.
I will never vote for labour locally again after this farce. Tory control is clearly NOT the will of the people in our district, what a joke that labour are forming the SHADOW cabinet when they could be forming a Labour-LibDem anti-conservative administration.
The LibDems better get ready for my vote next time!
Tory councillors -23
So called Progressive Alliance of Labour and Lib Dem’s – 24
Running the Council – Tories
Why did I bother to vote?
Let’s hope Keir Starmer grows some before the General Election.