Councillor J. Metters in the Chair and Councillors: J. Battrick, J. Davies, L. Davies, I. Fordham (from Minute Number C26/071) J. Hood, T. Kelt, R. Kenney, P. Leason, J. Powell, N. Powell, C. Thornicroft and R. Townsend

Officers: L. Trigg (attended virtually via Teams), R. Edwards and T. Williams

Councillors: A. Best, A. Burgess, K. Dawson, I. Fordham (to Minute Number C26/070), B. Kenney and A. Mottershead

Before the meeting began, Reverend Paul Kingman, led prayers.

Apologies were received from Councillors: A. Best, A. Burgess, K. Dawson, I. Fordham (to Minute Number C26/070), B. Kenney and A. Mottershead

None made.

None received.

None

RESOLVED:

• a) That the minutes of the meeting of the Town Council held on 4 November 2025 (Minute Numbers C26/055 – C26/064), 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 4 November 2025 (Minute Numbers GP26/079 – GP26/091), were noted.
• b) The draft minutes of the Planning Consultative Committee meeting held on 4 November 2025 (Minute Numbers PC26/031 – PC26/036), were noted.

The Town Council received gifts from Carthage, USA, in recognition of the friendship between our towns.

The Town Mayor informed Town Councillors that during Christmas 1993 John Howland from Carthage in Texas returned to Stone on the 50th anniversary of the time he had spent in the town as a member of the US Army Air Force awaiting his posting to his operational unit. He had never forgotten the wartime kindness and hospitality of the town and brought with him a proclamation from the Mayor of Carthage bestowing a number of gifts on Stone as a reminder of the lasting friendship and appreciation of the people of Stone, Staffordshire, by the people of Carthage, Texas. Stone and Carthage officially became sister towns from that time.

Earlier this year, Cary Bailey was planning a visit to an air show in the USA and made an offer to Councillor Jim Davies to take a gift to Carthage from the Council. Arrangements were made for a Council plate to be taken, accompanied by a letter from the Town Mayor. These items were presented to the Mayor of Carthage, who then arranged for gifts to be sent to the Town Council in return.

The Town Mayor presented the gifts received from Carthage (consisting of a framed flag that had been flown over the city of Carthage, Texas, and a book entitled: Loblolly Salutes – ‘Their Finest Hour’ – Combat Veterans of World War II) as a symbol of friendship and partnership between the sister cities, Carthage and Stone, to the Council.

At the same time, the Town Mayor offered the Council’s thanks to Cary Bailey (who was in attendance at the meeting) for taking the Council’s gift to Carthage to help maintain the longstanding links between our two towns.

Mr Bailey and Councillor Jim Davies were invited to step forward for photographs with the Town Mayor.

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 Mayor provided the Town Council with additional verbal reports on the details of his engagements.

TOWN MAYOR