A Lichfield councillor is hoping the future of a community service won’t be put at risk by funding cuts.
Lichfield District Council is planning a programme of savings in order to plug a £1.7million hole in its finances.
An internal report as part of the local authority’s Fit for the Future review has said axing the community services team could save £65,000 – but warned it would lead to the likely closure of the Jigsaw community hub and raise doubts about the future sustainability of the North Lichfield Initiative.
The chairman of the North Lichfield Initiative, Colin Ball, has already described the proposals as “short-sighted and wrong” and now Cllr Alan White has said he hopes a solution can be found to save the service.
“I am very sad to see the cuts in the support for the North Lichfield Initiative,” the Conservative councillor told LichfieldLive.
“I had the privilege to sit on the Board of the North Lichfield Initiative for four years, where I had the opportunity to observe at first hand the work of the committed and dedicated volunteers who have done so much to bring North Lichfield forward through some challenging times.
“The community leadership role played by the group has been much underestimated in many quarters and perhaps the withdrawal of the funding to the team who support them is part of this.
“The closure of the North Lichfield Initiative would be a great loss, and I hope any decision to cut funding could be reconsidered.”
An online petition has been set up by Labour councillors on Lichfield District Council to urge the local authority to rethink community services funding cuts.
