Cllr Hall writes:

In the current crisis, businesses in East Staffordshire could be eligible for rates reductions and/or business grants. ESBC have contacted all eligible businesses, but a response needs to be made back to the council to claim your entitlement.

Payments started to be made just before Easter, and applications are being processed as quickly as possible. If you have a small business premises or retail, leisure and hospitality premises you should be eligible for either the £10,000 or £25,000 grant (depending on your rateable value), and if you have not received a letter from the council please email the revenues team on nndr@eaststaffsbc.gov.uk.

Liberal Democrats in Lichfield, Burton and Tamworth constituencies started the new year refreshed and determined to do better in future elections.

A well attended and lively members and supporters meeting in February discussed the recent General Election - both national and our own local campaigns.

The meeting was led by Lichfield Councillor and GE candidate Paul Ray and East Staffordshire (Burton) Councillor Helen Hall. All three constituencies had increased their share of the vote but there was much to learn for us all. Views on the national campaign were to be passed onto the National Party review panel set up to learn from the 2019 General Election and the months leading up to it.