Town Clerk: Les Trigg

15 Station Road, STONE, ST15 8JP

Tel: 01785 619740 | Email: clerk@stonetowncouncil.gov.uk

2 October 2025

Dear Councillor,

A meeting of the GENERAL PURPOSES COMMITTEE will be held in the Council Chamber at 15 Station Road, Stone, on TUESDAY 7 OCTOBER 2025 at 7:05pm, or on the rising of the Council meeting, if later.

The agenda is set out below and I trust you will be able to attend.

Les Trigg, Town Clerk

To receive apologies for absence, and to consider the approval of any reasons given for absence under Section 85(1) of the Local Government Act 1972.

None declared.

None received.

• – County Councillor J. Hood
• – County Councillor A. Mynors

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) To confirm as a correct record the minutes of the meeting of the General Purposes Committee held on 2 September 2025, Minute Numbers GP26/048 – GP26/062 (attached).

• a) Tourism & Town Promotion Sub-Committee held on 16 September 2025, Minute Numbers TTP26/010 – TTP26/016 (attached)
• i. To consider the draft minutes
• b) Environment Sub-Committee held on 16 September 2025, Minute Numbers ENV26/010 – ENV26/017 (attached)
• i. To consider the draft minutes

To consider the report of the Town Clerk (attached).

To receive the report of the Town Clerk (attached).

To receive the report of the Town Clerk (attached).

To consider nominations for election of representatives to the SPCA Executive at the Association’s 86th Annual General Meeting on the evening of Monday 24 November 2025. Nominations should reach the SPCA office by no later than Monday, 10 November 2025. A copy of the nomination form and information about the role of the SPCA Executive is attached.

Councillor Kelt is currently a member of the SPCA Executive committee but his term ends in December 2025 and he will need to be renominated for that term to continue.

Member Councils are also invited to put forward motions for debate at the AGM which will be held in Uttoxeter Town Hall, 19 High Street, Uttoxeter, ST14 7HN. The proposal form for submitting motions (by Monday 3 November 2025) is attached.

For the AGM part of the event, each council is able to send up to two delegates (one with acting as a voting member). Confirmation of the name and email address for the council’s voting delegate is requested by Monday 10 November 2025.

A calling letter from the County Officer is attached. The agenda, supporting papers, 2024 AGM minutes and a copy of the Annual Report will be circulated on Monday 10 November 2025.

To consider a Staffordshire County Council consultation seeking views on a new draft Local Transport Plan describing how Staffordshire’s transport network should look, and the practical steps that should be taken to get there.

Full details of the consultation are available here: Let’s Talk Transport | Let’s Talk Staffordshire

Responses are via an online survey: Local Transport Plan Public Consultation Survey | Let’s Talk Staffordshire

An executive summary of the consultation and a copy of the questions asked in the survey are attached. The closing date is Monday 27 October 2025.

To receive a list of payments made by the Council during the period 1 to 31 August 2025 (attached).

• a) Stone Heritage Centre Steering Group (Chairman: R. Kenney)
• b) Engagement with Young People Working Group (Co-ordinator: K. Dawson)

• Stone Area Parish Liaison Group – Cllr J. Davies
• Stone ATC – Town Mayor & one Cllr – Cllrs: J. Metters and J. Davies
• Age Concern Stone & District – Cllrs: J. Davies and C. Thornicroft
• Stafford & Stone Access Group – Cllr T. Kelt
• Stone Common Plot Trustees – Cllrs: A. Burgess, J. Hood, T. Kelt, C. Thornicroft and R. Townsend
• Stone Community Hub Liaison Group – Cllrs: J. Battrick, J. Powell and R. Townsend
• SPCA Executive Committee – Cllr T. Kelt
• West Midlands Railway and other rail matters – Cllr T. Kelt

Minutes of the meeting held in the Council Chamber at 15 Station Road, Stone, on Tuesday 2 September 2025.

PRESENT: Councillor R. Kenney in the Chair, and Councillors: A. Best, A. Burgess, J. Davies, K. Dawson, J. Hood, P. Leason, J. Metters, J. Powell, N. Powell and R. Townsend.

Officers: R. Edwards and T. Williams

Apologies were received from Councillors: J. Battrick, L. Davies, I. Fordham, T. Kelt, B. Kenney, A. Mottershead and C. Thornicroft. The reasons for absence were approved for the purposes of Section 85(1) of the Local Government Act 1972.

None.

County Councillor Jill Hood advised the Committee that she had no report on this occasion. County Councillor Andrew Mynors was not in attendance.

Councillor Jon Powell gave a report on a Borough Council Economic Development & Planning Scrutiny Committee meeting held on 19 August 2025, which included a presentation on water and wastewater discharge management.

He expressed concern regarding Combined Sewer Overflows (CSOs) in Stone expelling wastewater into the River Trent and Scotch Brook during heavy rain, highlighting records of out spills in August 2025.

RESOLVED: That the minutes of the General Purposes Committee meeting held on 1 July 2025 (Minute Numbers GP26/033 – GP26/047), be approved as a correct record.

The Committee considered the report of the Town Clerk on the outcome of the 2025-26 national pay award negotiations for local government staff.

RESOLVED: That the Town Council accepts the recommendations of the Town Clerk and adopts the new 2025-26 salary levels for staff on national local government pay scales.

The Chairman introduced the leader of Stafford Borough Council, Councillor Aiden Godfrey, who briefed the Committee on local government reorganisation in Staffordshire. Four models were discussed, including North/South and East/West splits.

The Committee agreed that the Town Clerk would compile a paper for consideration at the next meeting to formulate a final response on the reorganisation.

The Deputy Town Clerk reported that the Heritage Centre had hosted a successful ‘Sketch in Stone’ exhibition and welcomed its 1000th visitor this year on 14 August. Future displays include the National Railway 200 Celebrations and exhibitions by the Society for Staffordshire Artists.

RESOLVED: To note the list of Town Council payments made during the period 1 June to 31 July 2025.

Minutes of the meeting held on Tuesday 16 September 2025.

The Sub-Committee reviewed past events including the Children’s Whale at Westbridge Park, VJ Day 80, and the Summer Street Party, all of which were noted as successes. Upcoming events include the Classic Car Event (27 September) and Christmas Lights Switch-On (20 November).

Minutes of the meeting held on Tuesday 16 September 2025.

The Chairman advised that the most pressing item is the repair work to the diagonal pathway across Crown Meadow. The Canal and River Trust will be replacing gates at Star Lock starting 3 November 2025.

The Chairman reported that a site visit with Staffordshire Wildlife Trust would be arranged to aid a long-term management plan for Crown Meadow. All allotment plots are currently let, with 21 people on the waiting list.

The report considers four models for reorganisation in Staffordshire. The Town Clerk recommends Model A (North/South split with Stone in the South) as the best outcome for Stone residents, as it maintains links with Stafford and ensures financial stability.

The report also notes that the Town Council should seek to secure local assets (such as the Council Offices and Frank Jordan Centre) from the Borough Council to protect them from potential future sale by a new unitary authority.

As of 31 August 2025, net spending was £161,042 against a budget of £194,137, representing a net underspend of £33,095. Significant underspends were noted in Heritage Centre operating costs, insurance premiums, and accommodation costs due to delayed lease agreements.

The Town Clerk proposed a new Heritage Centre Steering Group to provide policy leadership during the Centre’s development phase. The group will consist of five Councillor members and will report to the General Purposes Committee.