People in Lichfield and Burntwood will bounce back from the economic impact of the coronavirus crisis, a councillor has said.
Cllr Alan White was speaking at a meeting of Lichfield District Council this week.
He said that national initiatives had ensured there would be a bright future for local residents.
The Conservative representative for Whittington and Streethay said:
“The Conservative Government has provided the largest job retention scheme ever known. They provided massive amounts of grants to businesses, they’ve invested spectacular amounts in vaccines.
“We’re assuming that things are going to stay the same as they are. They aren’t – this economy is going to bounce back fantastically well due to the resilience of the British people.
“People across Lichfield district are going to be creating jobs, the economy is going to be growing and we are going to be getting back on our feet sooner rather than later.”
Cllr Alan White, Lichfield District Council
His comments came as councillors debated an increase in Lichfield District Council’s share of the council tax bill.
Members eventually voted to proceed with a 2.78% increase, despite Labour’s Cllr Dave Robertson branding it “unfathomable”.
But Cllr Colin Greatorex, Conservative representative for Stowe ward, said services could not be protected without money coming in through taxation.
“We’ve been told we’re not spending enough on prosperity and we should be spending our way out of it, then we are told we shouldn’t be spending anymore on council tax.
“None of us want to charge extra, but it’s a matter of the numbers.
“All the complimentary things that are said about the new leisure centre, bin collections, COVID grants, a worthwhile shopping service created around people who needed it during the lockdown – all of that costs money.
“It’s not just sitting there in a pot waiting to happen, it’s council tax money.
“We’ve got to collect it first in order to spend it.”
Cllr Colin Greatorex, Lichfield District Council
