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# Economic challenges meant restraint was needed on allowances increase, leader of Lichfield District Council says
- URL: https://lichfieldlive.co.uk/economic-challenges-meant-restraint-was-needed-on-allowances-increase-leader-of-lichfield-district-council-says/
- Published: 2022-07-17T06:35:00.000Z
- Updated: 2022-07-14T10:46:01.000Z
- Description: Economic challenges facing people across Lichfield and Burntwood were the reason members of Lichfield District Council needed to reject an increase in their allowances, the local authority’s leader has said.
- Author: Lichfield Live
- Tags: #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-07-22 19:11, News

Economic challenges facing people across Lichfield and Burntwood were the reason members of Lichfield District Council needed to reject an increase in their allowances, the local authority’s leader has said.

Councillors voted to turn down a an independent remuneration panels recommendation for a 10.1% raise in the annual payments made to them, despite some arguing that the move from £4,298 to £4,734 a year would [“reflect the value” elected representatives add to residents’ lives](https://lichfieldlive.co.uk/increase-to-allowances-would-have-reflected-value-we-add-to-residents-lives-councillor-says/).

But Cllr Doug Pullen, leader of Lichfield District Council, told a meeting this week that while allowances were lower than other authorities, now was not the time for an increase.

> “If we want a council that is broadly representative of the community it represents then we cannot make it cost prohibitive for anyone to enter public service, and therefore do need an adequate and appropriate allowance.  
>  
> “The report makes it clear we do receive a much lower allowance than similar councils up and down the country. The report also makes it clear there are disparities in how those with extra responsibilities are remunerated and that we have chosen to freeze allowances since 2019.  
>  
> “While I thank the independent remuneration panel for their report, I cannot accept their recommendations as the economic challenges facing our residents means this is the time for us to show restraint.”  
>  
> Cllr Doug Pullen, Lichfield District Council

But other Conservative members of the council said the increase should have been accepted.

Cllr Christopher Spruce, representative for St John’s ward, said rejecting the rise was a case of the local authority “ignoring the reality”.

> “It’s seems to be pointless to have an independent report and then ignore it.  
>  
> “There is never a right time to change allowances – there’s always some reason not to do it.  
>  
> “Look at the figures. Lichfield is in the bottom 10% \[for allowances\] across the country.  
>  
> “It is wrong to continually ignore the reality.”  
>  
> Cllr Christopher Spruce, Lichfield District Council