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# Councillors unite to protect finance officers from Government criticism
- URL: https://lichfieldlive.co.uk/councillors-unite-to-protect-finance-officers-from-government-criticism/
- Published: 2013-02-27T10:00:25.000Z
- Updated: 2013-02-26T10:37:33.000Z
- Author: Lichfield Live
- Tags: Politics, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-07-22 19:24, News

Conservative and Labour councillors on Lichfield District Council have backed a defence of local authority finance officers from attacks by Government ministers.

[![Cllr Steve Norman](https://storage.ghost.io/c/e3/90/e390c3da-0866-4d2a-8ffe-ca4999d7ce1c/content/images/lichfieldlive-co-uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/stevenormancrop.jpg "Cllr Steve Norman")](//lichfieldlive.co.uk/2012/04/24/lichfield-district-council-not-convinced-over-need-for-return-to-weekly-bin-collections/stevenormancrop/)

Cllr Steve Norman

Cllr Steve Norman tabled a motion at a meeting to set tax levels at the council.

The move came after Eric Pickles, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, [urged council finance officers not to get involved in politics](http://www.publicfinance.co.uk/news/2012/01/dont-meddle-with-council-tax-freeze-pickles-warns-fds/?ref=lichfieldlive.co.uk).

The Labour opposition group leader’s motion read:

> This Council rejects the attack by Government ministers on council finance officers in councils such as Lichfield District which do not accept the council tax freeze offer and increase council tax and that thiscouncil believes that whilst criticising elected members is legitimate, attacking officers who are paid to advise the council is not.

The motion was immediately supported by the Conservative leader, Cllr Mike Wilcox and then supported by the whole council.

Cllr Norman said: “Lichfield District was the only Conservative authority to increase council tax in the West Midlands last year (by 3.4 per cent). While they planned a 3.4 per cent increase again this year they avoided the Pickles protest by agreeing a 1.8 per cent increase.

“Councillors decide. Officers only advise.”