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# Opposition councillors to call for “people first” approach when Lichfield District Council sets budget
- URL: https://lichfieldlive.co.uk/opposition-councillors-to-call-for-people-first-approach-when-lichfield-district-council-sets-budget/
- Published: 2026-02-23T11:51:15.000Z
- Updated: 2026-02-23T11:51:30.000Z
- Description: Opposition councillors will call for a “people first” approach when Lichfield District Council sets its annual budget this week.
- Author: Lichfield Live
- Tags: Burntwood, Politics, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-07-22 18:11, News

OPPOSITION councillors will call for a “people first” approach when Lichfield District Council sets its annual budget this week.

A meeting of the local authority will see the Conservatives outline spending proposals for the coming year.

But members of the Labour opposition group, with support from the Liberal Democrats, are putting forward an amendment they say will recognise the wider needs of the local community.

Cllr Sue Woodward, Labour group leader, said:

> “On the whole, we support many of the choices currently being put forward, but we have focused on increasing support for tenants, community transport to and from the city centre and provision for young people.  
>  
> “We are suggesting paring down some of proposed Conservative priorities to enable us to fund our suggestions.” 

The budget amendment will be proposed by shadow cabinet lead for finance, Cllr Paul Taylor.

He said the financial plans needed to recognise how some initiatives – such as [the LinkUp community bus scheme](https://lichfieldlive.co.uk/council-confirms-on-demand-bus-service-will-continue/) – needed updating to reflect current local needs:

> “We have had some significant success over the past three years in securing funding for social housing, for heritage funding and for a masterplan for Burntwood among other things.  
>  
> “We will be pushing for faster delivery on some of these issues, but want to focus on helping tenants by extending the current tenancy support scheme and showing our ambition for young people.  
>  
> “As for community transport, it should match how people live now, not cling to the past. LinkUp has overspent on outdated routes.  
>  
> “Our plan builds smarter links, starting with a route to and from the new cinema so more people in the district can get there easily.”

Cllr Woodward added:

> “We said when we were elected that we wanted to bring some equity in investment for the whole district and we believe that our amendment delivers this.”

The council meeting will take place tomorrow (24th February).