Spending £16,000 on a luxury chauffeur-driven car used by the chairman of Lichfield District Council is “crazy”, according to a Burntwood councillor.
The future of the Jaguar XF was debated at a meeting of the overview and scrutiny committee.
Labour’s Cllr Eric Drinkwater said any suggestion that the car was about civic pride was incorrect.
“It’s not about being the face of the district at all,” he said. “No, it’s all about personal prestige for those who have the roles.
“At a time of austerity, to keep thinking we can get away with spending so much on civic tradition is just crazy.”
But Conservative Cllr Doug Constable hit back, saying the car civics turn up in was important.
“It’s not personal prestige at all, it’s about the prestige of the council,” he said. “It matters among those sort of people at the events.
“The term chain gang is used, but it’s not about that. Those who take the roles have earned the right to do so.”
The meeting recommended a task force be set up to look at the issue of the chairman’s car in greater depth.
But Labour opposition group leader Cllr Sue Woodward said the bigger picture was being missed.
“We need to look at the £50,000-plus a year spent on the civic budget,” she said. “The chain gang going to have these meals with each other – is there really value?
“How does the money spent relate to the strategic outcomes for the council?”
Conservative Cllr Thomas Marshall said there could be opportunities for a link up with local car dealerships to provide a suitable vehicle.
His Tory colleague Cllr Joseph Powell was keen to assure the meeting that chairmen and vice-chairmen were not merely using the vehicle as a perk.
“It’s important that we make it clear that the car isn’t used for just having drinks and nice meals,” he explained.
“We use it for lots of very useful meetings with the council, such as visiting homosexual groups.”
