To consider representations from members of the public on items to be considered at this meeting, in accordance with the Council’s scheme of public participation.

• a) General Purposes Committee meeting held on 3 June 2025, Minute Numbers GP26/018 – GP26/032 (attached).
• b) Planning Consultative Committee meeting held on 3 June 2025, Minute Numbers PC26/007 – PC26/012 (attached).

To extend the Town Council’s grateful thanks to Mrs Sue Campbell-Kelly and Mrs Mary Gale for their support with running the musical elements of the Town Council’s Christmas Lights Switch-On events over the previous 25 years.

To resolve, pursuant to the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960, that the Public and Press be excluded from the meeting whilst the next items of business are discussed on the grounds that publicity would be prejudicial to public interest by reason of the confidential nature of the debate.

To receive the Confidential Minutes of the General Purposes Committee held on 3 June 2025, Minute Numbers GP26/018 and GP26/032 (attached).

PRESENT: Councillor J. Metters in the Chair and
Councillors: A. Best, J. Davies, L. Davies, I. Fordham, J. Hood, T. Kelt, B. Kenney, R. Kenney, P. Leason, J. Powell, N. Powell, C. Thornicroft and R. Townend
Officers: L. Trigg, R. Edwards and T. Williams

ABSENT: Councillors: J. Battrick, A. Burgess, K. Dawson and A. Mottershead

Before the meeting began Reverend Paul Kingman led prayers.

Apologies were received from Councillors: J. Battrick, K. Dawson and A. Mottershead

None made.

None received.

None

RESOLVED:

• a) That the minutes of the meeting of the Annual Meeting of the Town Council held on 13 May 2025 (Minute Numbers C26/001 – C26/011), be approved as a correct record.

RESOLVED:

• a) The draft minutes of the General Purposes Committee meeting held on 20 May 2025 (Minute Numbers GP26/001 – GP26/017), were noted.
• b) The draft minutes of the Planning Consultative Committee meeting held on 20 May 2025 (Minute Numbers PC26/001 – PC26/006), were noted.

The Council considered the following documents which had been circulated with the agenda, prior to the meeting:

• a. Formal Internal Audit submission to the External Auditors*
• b. Report from Internal Auditor*

The Town Clerk reported that the Council was required to consider an Internal Audit Report before approving the Annual Governance Statement and accounts for submission to the External Auditors.

Councillor J. Davies thanked the Town Clerk and the Deputy Town Clerk for the work they had undertaken on the Council’s accounts.

RESOLVED: To note the Internal Auditor’s report and submission to External Audit.

The Council considered the Annual Governance Statement* which must be approved prior to consideration of the Council’s accounts.

RESOLVED: To approve the Annual Governance Statement and supporting explanations for submission to the External Auditor for the year 2024-25.

The Town Mayor signed the Annual Governance Statement 2024-25 to confirm that the detail it contained had been received and considered.

The Council considered the Town Clerk’s report* and the accounting statement* which had been circulated with the agenda for the meeting.

RESOLVED:

• a) To approve the Council’s Accounts for 2024-25 as set out in the report of the Town Clerk, including the use of the rollover reserve to allow the transfer of budgets between financial years and the proposed use of those budgets in 2025-26.
• b) To note the variances between the forecast outturn for 2024-25 and the actual outturn, and the reasons identified for the major variances.
• c) To approve the financial statement for submission to the Council’s External Auditors.

The Information* for Quarter ending 31 March 2025 was noted.

The Civic Announcements, which had previously been circulated, were noted.

The Town Mayor’s and Deputy Town Mayor’s reports of engagements, which had been previously circulated, were noted.

On this occasion reports were enclosed for the Town Mayor and Deputy Town Mayor 2024-25 and Town Mayor and Deputy Town Mayor 2025-26.

The Town Mayor, Councillor Metters, the Deputy Town Mayor, Councillor Best and the Town Mayor 2024-25, Councillor Leason, each gave an account of the engagements they had attended in their respective positions during April and May 2025.

PRESENT: Councillor R. Kenney in the Chair, and
Councillors: A. Best, J. Davies, L. Davies, I. Fordham, J. Hood, T. Kelt, B. Kenney, P. Leason, J. Metters, J. Powell, N. Powell, C. Thornicroft and R. Townsend
Officers: L. Trigg, R. Edwards and T. Williams

ABSENT: Councillors: J. Battrick, A. Burgess, K. Dawson and A. Mottershead

Apologies were received from Councillors: J. Battrick, K. Dawson and A. Mottershead.

Where a reason for absence is given, this reason was approved for the purposes of Section 85(1) of the Local Government Act 1972.

Councillor Townsend declared an interest in agenda item 9 (Minute Number GP26/026) – Grant to Local Organisation.

The Committee considered a request for a dispensation from Councillor Townsend in relation to agenda item 9 (Minute Number GP26/026).

Councillor Townsend had in advance of the meeting requested a dispensation to allow him to answer any questions from Councillors about the grant application submitted on behalf of Aston Lodge Residents Association and to provide clarification where needed. A copy of the written request was distributed to each Town Councillor present at the meeting.

RESOLVED: That Councillor Townsend be granted a dispensation to speak but not vote on agenda item 9 (Minute Number GP26/026) – Grant to Local Organisation.

The Chairman invited County Councillors to address the Committee:

County Councillor Jill Hood
Councillor Hood advised the Committee that, as the new term was just beginning, she had no report on this occasion.

County Councillor Andrew Mynors
Councillor Mynors was unable to attend the meeting and had sent his apologies.

The Chairman invited Borough Councillors to address the Committee.

Councillor Leason advised the Committee that, as a member of the Food Waste Working Group, he had been involved in meeting Newcastle Under Lyme Borough Council who were already operating a food waste system. The working group was looking at costs and the system was under consideration for introducing in Stafford, next year.

Councillor Leason said there had been a big debate about whether Stafford Borough Council should provide plastic liners (for external household caddies) in line with the Newcastle Under Lyme approach, but most of the working group were against providing them.

None

RESOLVED:

• a) That the minutes of the General Purposes Committee meeting held on 20 May 2025 (Minute Numbers GP26/001 – GP26/017), be approved as a correct record.

There were no Sub-Committee draft minutes.

The Committee considered a request for grant aid from the following organisation which met the criteria within the Council’s grants policy:

Organisation: Aston Lodge Residents Association
Amount Requested: £500
Reason: To support the purchase of a heavy-duty cordless strimmer and leaf blower.

RESOLVED: To award a grant of £500 to Aston Lodge Residents Association.

The Committee considered an update on Stone Heritage Centre.

The Town Clerk advised the Committee that puppetry event ‘Mr BuzzKing’s Puppet Things’ which ran from Friday 30 May to Monday 2 June 2025 had gone very well and was successful.

A Committee member raised a question about when a ‘Heritage Centre’ sign would be installed on the outside of the building as people were having difficulty finding it.

The Town Clerk advised the Committee that the large sign at the building’s frontage was originally going to say, ‘Stone Heritage Centre’ but the decision had not been documented, and current management at Joules preferred the sign displaying ‘Joules Fire Station’.

A suggestion had previously been made to use the windows to display ‘Stone Heritage Centre’, accompanied by an A board, which the Heritage Centre Manager was looking into.

A Committee member suggested installing a sign on the side of the building adjoining the Crown Wharf car park so that it would be seen by traffic on Crown Street. The Town Clerk confirmed that all signage options secured to the external structure of the building would have to be agreed by Joules Brewery.

Another proposal was to introduce a main frontage sign saying ‘Stone Fire Station and Stone Heritage Centre’.

The Chairman reassured the Committee that the matter was receiving consideration.

RESOLVED: To note the list* of Town Council payments made during the period 1 to 30 April 2025.

Stone Heritage Centre Steering Group
There was no additional update from the Steering Group.

Engagement with Young People
Councillor Dawson was not available to give a report.

• Stone Area Parish Liaison Group – Councillor J. Davies advised the Committee that a meeting would be called as soon as possible.
• Stone ATC – Councillor J. Davies advised the Committee that the next meeting of 2352 (Stone) Squadron ATC would be the Annual General Meeting on 24 June 2025.
• Age Concern Stone & District – Councillor Thornicroft advised the Committee that no meeting had taken place.
• Stafford District Access Group – Councillor Kelt advised the Committee that the next meeting would be the Annual Meeting on 23 June 2025.
• Stone Common Plot Trustees – Councillor Thornicroft advised the Committee that the last meeting of the Stone Common Plot Trustees was the Annual General Meeting (on 7 May 2025) which had been reported upon.
• Stone Community Hub Liaison Group – It was confirmed there had been no meeting of Stone Community Hub Liaison Group.
• SPCA Executive Committee – Councillor Kelt informed the Committee that there had been no meeting.
• West Midlands Railway and other Rail Matters – Councillor Kelt advised the Committee that a meeting had taken place on 29 May 2025 where the main discussions affecting Stone were timetable changes (of which there were none), a number of travel problems, access to trains at Stone including the gap between the platform and train, access to north bound trains, and questions about the proposed parking charges on Station Approach. Councillor Kelt advised the Committee that Sir Gavin Williamson MP had been approached for support.

RESOLVED: To exclude the Press and Public from the next item of business.

The Committee considered the report* of the Town Clerk which had been enclosed with the agenda for the meeting.

RESOLVED: The Committee agreed to re-appoint to the post of Marketing and events Organiser in line with the recommendations outlined in the Town Clerk’s report.

PRESENT: Councillor T. Kelt in the Chair, and
Councillors: A. Best, J. Davies, L. Davies, I. Fordham, J. Hood, B. Kenney, R. Kenney, P. Leason, J. Metters, J. Powell, N. Powell, R. Townsend and C. Thornicroft
Officers: L. Trigg, R. Edwards and T. Williams

ABSENT: Councillors: J. Battrick, A. Burgess, K. Dawson and A. Mottershead

Apologies were received from Councillors: J. Battrick, K. Dawson and A. Mottershead

Councillor J. Hood and Councillor R. Kenney advised the Committee that, as members of Stafford Borough Council’s Planning Committee, they would not speak or vote on the planning applications listed on the agenda.

Councillor I. Fordham advised the Committee that, as a substitute member of Stafford Borough Council’s Planning Committee, he would not speak or vote on the planning applications listed on the agenda.

None

RESOLVED: That the minutes of the Planning Consultative Committee meeting held on 20 May 2025, Minute Numbers PC26/001 – PC26/006), be approved as a correct record.

Application Number – 25/40498/FUL
Applicant – Alleyne’s Academy
Location – Alleyne’s Sports Centre, Oulton Road, Stone
Development – Demolishing the unused swimming pool building and changing rooms to create a new sports social area for Stone Old Alleynians. The new facility will provide a modern clubhouse with social and refreshment areas, supporting club activities and community engagement. There is a change of use from F1 to E(b). The site will continue to serve sports and recreational purposes.

Observations: The Town Council raises no objections to the development proposal but asks the Case Officer to take note of representations made by neighbouring residents.

The Town Council suggests the applicant is asked to incorporate additional parking spaces into the development as residents are already concerned about existing on-street parking issues around the site and the nuisance this is causing on event days.

None

• Saturday 5 July 2025 – Cannock Chase Council’s Civic Service
• Sunday 13 July 2025 – Stone Town Council’s Civic Sunday Parade & Church Service
• Tuesday 15 July 2025 – MOD Stafford – ‘Meet Your Army’ Event
• Saturday 19 July 2025 – Staffordshire Moorlands Chairman’s Charity Summer Afternoon Tea

• Sunday 9 July 2025 – Christ Church Academy Celebration Evening
• Sunday 13 July 2025 – Stone Town Council’s Civic Sunday Parade & Church Service

The town of Biddulph hosted a great mayor making service and buffet lunch at the Biddulph Methodist church. Sarah and I were made very welcome and it was great to be amongst the civic heads from across the region all enthusiastic for the year ahead. We were happy to see our previous mayor’s brother representing Biddulph Stone in Bloom amongst other guests, showcasing the wonderful community that they have there. We congratulated the outgoing mayor for his term.

The Stone Carnival was a very memorable occasion with townsfolk and visitors present from Alleyne’s all the way down to Westbridge to see the parade and attend the fair, car show, dog show, steeplechase, dog derby, line dancing, and to visit all of the merchants and tents participating in the occasion. The Deputy and I were absolutely astounded at the number of volunteers that had dedicated their time to making this event go ahead. They managed to organise a thoroughly successful weekend. Many of the volunteers had not organised an event like this previously, demonstrating the aptitude and attention to detail in ensuring that the event went ahead without a hitch. I want to reiterate sincere gratitude to the organisers, and to thank them for the value that this brought to the town, all at no cost to the visitors. It was nice to see other councillors present too enjoying the festivities, and to our Deputy Mayor for his enthusiasm throughout the day.

I accompanied the Town Mayor and the Mayoress in the parade for Stone carnival. We really enjoyed it, and had a great time, even though at one point there was torrential rain. I judged the floats while the Mayor judged the walking groups. Everyone had done very well but I could only pick 1st, 2nd and 3rdplaces.

Once again, I accompanied the Town Mayor at the Steeple Chase and Dog Derby show. The Mayor and myself had to judge different categories in the dog show and ended up tag teaming on the microphone, commentating on all the different dogs. Had a great time and we have all learned what to do and what not to do for next year’s carnival events.