Minutes of the Meeting held in the Council Chamber
at 15 Station Road, Stone, on Tuesday 1 July 2025

PRESENT:
Councillor A. Best in the Chair and
Councillors: J. Davies, L. Davies, J. Hood, T. Kelt, C. Thornicroft and R. Townsend
Officers: R. Edwards and T. Williams
Note: In the absence of the Town Mayor the Deputy Town Mayor, Councillor Andrew Best, chaired the meeting.

ABSENT:
Councillors: J. Battrick, A. Burgess, K. Dawson I. Fordham, B. Kenney, R. Kenney, P. Leason, J. Metters, A. Mottershead, J. Powell and N. Powell

Before the meeting began, Licensed Lay Reader, Councillor Lin Davies, led prayers.

Apologies were received from Councillors: K. Dawson, I. Fordham, B. Kenney, R. Kenney, P. Leason, J. Metters, A. Mottershead, J. Powell and N. Powell

None made.

None received.

None

RESOLVED:

• a) That the minutes of the meeting of the Town Council held on 3 June 2025 (Minute Numbers C26/012 – C26/023), be approved as a correct record.

* Items marked with an asterisk refer to reports or papers circulated with the agenda or distributed at the meeting. They are attached as an appendix to the signed copy of the Council minutes.

RESOLVED:

• a) The draft minutes of the General Purposes Committee meeting held on 3 June 2025 (Minute Numbers GP26/018 – GP26/032), were noted.
• b) The draft minutes of the Planning Consultative Committee meeting held on 3 June 2025 (Minute Numbers PC26/007 – PC26/012), were noted.

The Deputy Town Clerk deferred this item which was reconvened during a break in the General Purposes Committee meeting, later in the evening, when Mrs Campbell Kelly and Mrs Gale had arrived at the Council Chamber. Their scheduled arrival time of 7.30pm had been later than the time the Council had arrived at this item.

The Deputy Town Mayor invited Councillor Jill Hood to lead the Town Council’s expression of grateful thanks to Mrs Sue Campbell-Kelly and Mrs Mary Gale for their dedicated support in running the musical elements of the Town Council’s Christmas Lights Switch-On events over the previous 25 years.

Councillor Hood addressed the ladies, thanking them for attending the meeting and pointing out to them that they both possessed the magical ability to form successful choirs, and their support had brought festive joy to the town over very many years. Sue and Mary were always ready to step in with carols, costumes and Choir to drown out the weather; their high energy capable of powering the town’s Christmas lights! She added that their families became part of the musical machine, showing up in the nick of time, with talented Ian Campbell Kelly playing the keyboard.

Councillor Hood advised the meeting that Sue and Mary had taught generations of children not just how to sing but how to belong. She said the ladies were great ambassadors for music, they were educators, performers, community champions, and Stone wouldn’t be the same without their songs, their laughter and their unshakeable ability to drag everyone headfirst into the fun.

On behalf of Stone Town Councillors and office staff, Councillor Hood thanked Sue and Mary most sincerely for everything.

The Deputy Mayor presented each lady with a bouquet of fresh flowers before they had their photographs taken.

At the end of the item, the ladies departed the meeting.

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

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

The Deputy Town Mayor advised the Council that he had had a great time in the Stone Carnival Parade and referenced the photograph in the Deputy Mayor’s Report showing him with the Town Mayor and Mayoress in the Range Rover they had travelled in.

Councillor Best said he had judged the Dog Derby event on Carnival Sunday (8 June) which had been tremendous fun and an opportunity to learn all about the dogs. He said the organisers had done a wonderful job and he looked forward to attending the carnival event next year.

The Deputy Town Mayor informed the Council that both he and the Mayor had enjoyed meeting all the dedicated volunteers who had been involved in organising the Carnival and he had initiated a group photograph (which was in circulation) of them altogether.

The meeting was suspended and then reconvened after the General Purposes Committee and Planning Consultative Committee meetings.

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.

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

The Confidential Minutes of the General Purposes Committee held on 3 June 2025, Minute Numbers GP26/018 and GP26/032 were noted.

TOWN MAYOR