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# Civic budget report recommends downgrading chauffeur driven car for Lichfield District Council chairman
- URL: https://lichfieldlive.co.uk/civic-budget-report-recommends-downgrading-chauffeur-driven-car-for-lichfield-district-council-chairman/
- Published: 2016-03-29T06:30:23.000Z
- Updated: 2016-03-28T20:06:12.000Z
- Description: A report has recommended keeping – but downgrading – a chauffeur-driven car for the chairman of Lichfield District Council.
- Author: Lichfield Live
- Tags: Politics, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-07-22 20:42, News

A report has recommended keeping – but downgrading – a chauffeur-driven car for the chairman of Lichfield District Council.

[![The offices of Lichfield District Council. Pic: Lichfield District Council](https://storage.ghost.io/c/e3/90/e390c3da-0866-4d2a-8ffe-ca4999d7ce1c/content/images/lichfieldlive-co-uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/lichfield_district_council_house.jpg)](//lichfieldlive.co.uk/2015/06/01/group-says-expanded-lichfield-district-council-cabinet-should-have-had-more-women/lichfield%5Fdistrict%5Fcouncil%5Fhouse-2/)

The offices of Lichfield District Council. Pic: Lichfield District Council

The local authority has been reviewing the entire £60,000 civic budget [since June last year](//lichfieldlive.co.uk/2015/06/03/future-of-lichfield-district-council-chairmans-chauffeur-driven-car-to-be-debated/).

There had been [criticism in some quarters](//lichfieldlive.co.uk/2015/06/05/call-to-break-with-tradition-and-axe-lichfield-district-council-chairmans-chauffeur-driven-car/) over the spending, including the £16,000 a year bill for a chauffeur-driven Jaguar.

A report to the council’s Cabinet has recommended using a leased Mondeo in future.

“All options regarding transport arrangements for the chairman and consort have been considered,” the report said.

“It is proposed that a lease car and chauffeur service is still required to ensure a level of safety and security and in order to not discriminate against any member who could not drive or preclude them from taking up the position.”

The Cabinet will also discuss proposals to cut the number of functions attended by the chairman and cut the civic duties allowance.

The chairman’s allowance is currently £6,490, but the report has recommended cutting this to £3,250.

The vice-chairman’s allowance would fall from £2,810 to £1,400.

“While there is a statutory role for a chairman to preside over council meetings, there is no legislation requiring a civic function,” the report added. “However, to the best of our knowledge their is no authority that does not have a civic function.

“It is felt that there are advantages to having a ‘first citizen’ – promoting the district, the council, aiding networking opportunities and helping to build relationships between the council and other groups and organisations.

“However, it is also felt that there is value in reviewing, modernising and refreshing the civic role to ensure it remains relevant and that there are strong links to the council and its strategic priorities as well as to the community it serves.”

Should all of the recommendations be approved, the £59,080 budget would be reduced by £7,385.

The Cabinet will discuss the report at a meeting on April 5.