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# Council tax increase will ensure services in Lichfield and Burntwood can be maintained and improved, leader says
- URL: https://lichfieldlive.co.uk/council-tax-increase-will-ensure-services-in-lichfield-and-burntwood-can-be-maintained-and-improved-leader-says/
- Published: 2022-02-27T09:47:00.000Z
- Updated: 2022-02-25T19:59:39.000Z
- Description: An impending council tax increase for people in Lichfield and Burntwood will ensure services can be maintained and improved, a council leader has said.
- Author: Lichfield Live
- Tags: Politics, News

An impending council tax increase for people in Lichfield and Burntwood will ensure services can be maintained and improved, a council leader has said.

![Doug Pullen](https://storage.ghost.io/c/e3/90/e390c3da-0866-4d2a-8ffe-ca4999d7ce1c/content/images/lichfieldlive-co-uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/doug-pullen.jpg)

Doug Pullen

The local authority voted through plans for a 1.5% increase in the precept – the share of council tax it takes.

Labour had put forward a call to freeze the bill for the coming year.

But Cllr Doug Pullen, Conservative leader, told a meeting of the local authority that the increase was part of a budget designed to ensure key services were not diminished.

> “I set a seemingly impossible task for officers and the cabinet member for finance to abide by three principles – don’t use reserves, protect our services and go for a less than inflation rise in council tax. All three of those tests have been met.  
>  
> “Not only does this budget protect our residents from the pressures of inflation, but it is also intended to improve our services.  
>  
> “The vision is that we invest in our services and improve them so that when a benefit claimant puts a claim in or a change or circumstances, that instead of taking two weeks to get it to them we can do it within a couple of days and get money to them quicker and improve their lives.  
>  
> “Shaving 50p or a £1 off council tax won’t fix those issues.  
>  
> “We are also doing driving our own savings and are sorting our own house out. There will be almost £1million of efficiencies while still protecting and investing in services.”  
>  
> Cllr Doug Pullen, Lichfield District Council

Opposition councillors had suggested a freeze would be achievable due to the significant reserves held by the council.

But Cllr Pullen said future uncertainty and ongoing financial challenges meant the increase was needed.

> “The council tax decision will affect every resident and it is right that it has a thorough debate.  
>  
> “But it is incredibly difficult when you have the responsibility for setting the council tax knowing the pressure it will put on residents – but it’s incredibly easy in opposition to ask for a freeze.  
>  
> “We are facing inflationary pressures as an organisation as well, some of which is caused by increases in pay for our hard working officers.  
>  
> “We are also in a time of uncertainty with a one year settlement from Government.”  
>  
> Cllr Doug Pullen, Lichfield District Council