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# Cabinet member says he cannot promise council tax bill freeze for Lichfield and Burntwood residents
- URL: https://lichfieldlive.co.uk/cabinet-member-says-he-cannot-promise-council-tax-bill-freeze-for-lichfield-and-burntwood-residents/
- Published: 2022-10-13T05:48:45.000Z
- Updated: 2022-10-13T05:48:54.000Z
- Description: There cannot be a promise council tax bills will not increase over the next year across Lichfield and Burntwood, residents have been told.
- Author: Lichfield Live
- Tags: Politics, News

There cannot be a promise council tax bills will not increase over the next year across Lichfield and Burntwood, residents have been told.

Cllr Rob Strachan, cabinet member for finance at Lichfield District Council, told a meeting of the leadership group that it would be “negligent” to make such claims given current financial uncertainties.

His comments came after deputy leader Cllr Iain Eadie had asked whether modelling had taken place on potentially freezing council tax bills next time around in order to support residents facing cost of living pressures.

Cllr Strachan said:

> “We haven’t modelled for it, but we will.  
>  
> “It’s a balancing act because while households are feeling a dreadful squeeze, it’s also the case that we as a provider of services are also subject to enormous pressures.  
>  
> “One of the most salient of those is the waste fleet where we have to put fuel into those vehicles and that price is increasing drastically.  
>  
> “What I will not say is that I will freeze council tax. If I came out and said that because we are a low cost, low tax party, then that would be dangerous – it would almost be negligent on my part to promise that.  
>  
> “We will model for it, but I cannot promise it’s a likely scenario.”  
>  
> Cllr Rob Strachan, Lichfield District Council

Cllr Eadie said he hoped consideration would be given to how residents can be protected.

> “I wouldn’t expect a promise of cuts without knowing how you were going to pay for it.  
>  
> “While I appreciate we have a situation where our own costs are going up, the reality is that we need to consider what the words ‘general reserves’ means.  
>  
> “If we’re not here to support our residents in times of extreme hardship, what are we here for?  
>  
> “It’s not just about providing services, it’s also about looking after our residents.”  
>  
> Cllr Iain Eadie, Lichfield District Council

The cabinet member for finance said while reserves would be considered, they were a finite resource.

> “As a cabinet, we have made a commitment to use reserves to benefit the district.  
>  
> “If that means using them to part fund the capital projects or protect against borrowing costs we can use them – but once they are spent, they are spent.”  
>  
> Cllr Rob Strachan, Lichfield District Council