The Spirit of the Season By Doug Pullen, Leader of <strong>Lichfield</strong> District Council The festive season <strong>in</strong> our District is truly a magical time, packed with community events - from the Santa Special at Chasewater Heritage Railway, to the festive Tractor Run, to the numerous Christmas Light switch-ons, and the glorious light display at <strong>Lichfield</strong> Cathedral - they all offer us a chance to pause, revel <strong>in</strong> celebrations, and cherish moments with family and friends. As I navigate the familiar holiday hustle and bustle – from attempt<strong>in</strong>g to orchestrate the perfect Christmas d<strong>in</strong>ner to the (usually last-m<strong>in</strong>ute!) gift hunt and the perennial tangled Christmas lights ordeal – I often f<strong>in</strong>d myself vow<strong>in</strong>g that “next year” will be different. A year where the focus shifts to quality time, the simple joys of a warm home, acts of service, and relish<strong>in</strong>g the tranquillity of the Christmas break. Perhaps, this year will f<strong>in</strong>ally be the one to break the cycle! For those with young families, or those of us who are young at heart, the enchantment of Christmas is genu<strong>in</strong>ely special. However, I know that not everyone f<strong>in</strong>ds this season easy. Many <strong>in</strong>dividuals dedicate their Christmas period to ensur<strong>in</strong>g that no one spends the day alone or hungry. Thousands more tirelessly work through the holidays, deliver<strong>in</strong>g essential services and support with<strong>in</strong> our community. A heartfelt thank you extends to all those who selflessly contribute to their communities and actively seek out those who may f<strong>in</strong>d this time of year challeng<strong>in</strong>g. As a f<strong>in</strong>al po<strong>in</strong>t - if you're still check<strong>in</strong>g off your gift list, please support our brilliant local <strong>in</strong>dependent retailers. Not only are you much more likely to discover unique gifts, but your contribution also circulates with<strong>in</strong> our superb community, support<strong>in</strong>g local bus<strong>in</strong>esses and help<strong>in</strong>g build a last<strong>in</strong>g legacy for <strong>Lichfield</strong>. As we dive <strong>in</strong>to this festive season, may you experience a Christmas filled with joy and may the spirit of the season br<strong>in</strong>g warmth and happ<strong>in</strong>ess to all. Christmas and Beyond! By Darren Ennis, Leader of Burntwood District Council Merry Christmas to all <strong>in</strong> Burntwood and across the wider District. I hope everyone enjoyed the fantastic, free Christmas events held across the town over the past few weeks, and now is the time where most of us can start to w<strong>in</strong>d down and enjoy the festive season with our family and friends and contemplate the year to come. Burntwood Town Council has had a brilliant year with the cont<strong>in</strong>ued support of our residents, community groups and bus<strong>in</strong>esses, we have achieved so much <strong>in</strong> 20<strong>23</strong>. From free meals for children over the summer holidays, free community events, grants for local charities, community groups and students, the monthly producers markets, dementia awareness, our Repair and Response Team and so much more. This year we have managed to add to our offer<strong>in</strong>g through receiv<strong>in</strong>g corporate sponsorship from so many phenomenal local bus<strong>in</strong>esses, too many to mention. We have just completed the budget sett<strong>in</strong>g process for the com<strong>in</strong>g year and it’s always surpris<strong>in</strong>g what we can achieve with the proportion of council tax that we receive. I know some residents will ask: “Why don’t you fix the potholes or have more police on our streets?” but whilst the Town Council campaigns on these matters, Staffordshire County Council is responsible for the ma<strong>in</strong>tenance of our roads, and the Police and Crime 10 Commissioner is responsible for local polic<strong>in</strong>g. Burntwood Town Council receives just 2% of your council tax – but we use this to cont<strong>in</strong>ue our work to make a better Burntwood and every penny is spent on our town. <strong>Dec</strong>ember gives us all time to reflect but, more importantly, to plan for the upcom<strong>in</strong>g year. To start 20<strong>24</strong>, Burntwood Town Council is complet<strong>in</strong>g the purchase of its first community build<strong>in</strong>g, the old Chase Terrace Methodist Church. This is a landmark moment for Burntwood Town Council as the first asset we will own, and we are excited to provide this build<strong>in</strong>g for community use. We hope this will provide new opportunities for our town and a much-needed venue for activities and groups. We will also be review<strong>in</strong>g our community events <strong>in</strong> the New Year and seek<strong>in</strong>g sponsorship to build on the success of previous years <strong>in</strong> provid<strong>in</strong>g events like the Wakes and Play <strong>in</strong> the Parks for free. Our Response and Repair team will carry on work<strong>in</strong>g around the town to keep it look<strong>in</strong>g tidy and safe, and we will cont<strong>in</strong>ue to engage with residents to make sure we are respond<strong>in</strong>g to local need and gett<strong>in</strong>g the most for our town. May I take the opportunity to wish you all a Happy New Year and all the best <strong>in</strong> 20<strong>24</strong>. If you need further <strong>in</strong>formation on our events, services, or sponsorship opportunities, this can be found by follow<strong>in</strong>g Burntwood Town Council on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, or on our website www.burntwood-tc.gov.uk.
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