Minutes of the Meeting of Eccleshall Parish Council held on

17^th September 2025

A meeting of Eccleshall Parish Council was held at Eccleshall Community Centre on 17^th September 2025 at 7.30pm. This meeting was followed by a meeting of the Planning Committee at 8.55pm.

  120/25). Present were:-

Councillor R. Taylor (Chairman)                  Councillor R. Langford

Councillor P. Jones                                         Councillor S. Mifflin

Councillor G. Dale                                           Councillor C. Wilkins

Councillor D. Feneysey                                  Councillor B. Delanchy

Councillor A. Reid                                           Councillor D. Hill

Councillor M. Gosling                                     Councillor D. Hall

Councillor S. Perren                                       Councillor C. Ryan-Bloor

Mrs Stacey Worden (Clerk)

Borough and County Councillor J. Pert

PCSO Gareth Higgins

Two members of the public

 121/25). Apologies were received from Councillor Kean.

 122/25). To consider Declarations of Interest and Councillor requests for dispensation relating to        items on the agenda.

There were no requests to receive, and no declarations of interest were made.

 123/25). Public Participation:

There was no public participation.

 124/25).  To approve the minutes of the Parish Council meeting held on 16^th July 2025.

The minutes, which had been previously circulated, were agreed and signed.

 125/25). Report from the Borough Councillor, County Councillor, and police representatives:

Borough Councillor Pert provided a report. Updates included:

• The petition created to oppose the overdevelopment of Eccleshall has reached approximate 4,500 signatures and was presented to Stafford Borough Council as its council meeting last week. The petition expresses the frustration of residents at potential proposals that could double the size of Eccleshall. Cllr. Pert noted that strategic planning should be undertaken by planners and not led by developers.
• A survey of Eccleshall High Street by County Highways engineers will be undertaken, supported by County Cllr. Pert’s divisional funding budget, to assess the issues and report on any feasible potential solutions to the traffic flow issues. It was noted that parking would need to remain in place.
• A date has been arranged for a site visit to Broughton to progress the request for speed reduction in the area by Broughton Parish Room.
• A County Council investigation into the Selwyn Court slippery pavement has provided a solution. However, this has been costed at £4,000, and funds will need to be identified.
• Flooding work is ongoing – a public meeting is to be held to update residents (date/venue to be agreed). Investigation works are ongoing with the use of flow monitors.
• Local Authority Re-organisation – a new proposal has been submitted by the County Council for an East-West split of the County.
• Pert suggested there are opportunities for co-funding of projects with the Parish Council, to be explored and to feed into upcoming budget planning.
• Pothole filling in Croxton is soon to be undertaken.
• Members points raised included:
  • When will be works be concluded to re-open the pavement on Church St? Cllr. Pert is aware of the work and the closure, but a date was not available.
  • The need to resurface the stretch of road from Sugnall to Croxton which was omitted in recent resurfacing works and has a number of large potholes.

Borough Councillor Jones had no updates to report.

Update from PCSO Gareth Higgins:

• Members received a crime activity report for the parish area. The report allowed for a breakdown of crime types and a year-to-year comparison.
• PCSO Higgins will soon be undertaking speed checks with radar guns and the council advised areas of concern to visit included:
  • Swynnerton Road by HMP Drake Hall
  • Castle Street
  • Croxton within the 30mph zone (particularly traffic approaching from Eccleshall)
  • Slindon within the 40mph zone, where there have been recent accidents
  • Green Lane
• The council will be kept informed of any upcoming community events. The next PCSO surgery will be held on Sat 4^th

  126/25). Committee Updates:

    Traffic Management:

• There were no updates to report

Footpaths:

• The minutes of the meeting held on the 13th August 2025 were noted.

Enhancements:

• The minutes of the meeting held on the 13th August 2025 were noted.

   Policy and Resources:

• The minutes of the meeting held on the 3^rd September 2025 were noted.
• It was resolved to approve the recommendation to adopt the new Information Technology Policy.

    Events:

• The minutes of the meeting held on the 3^rd September 2025 were noted.

  127/25). Beech Road Community Park

The opening event on the 15^th August was well attended and very successful. The Mayor of Stafford undertook the official opening ceremony and there were a good number of residents in attendance. The next step is to arrange a working group meeting to discuss the garden project.

Concerns were raised about dog fouling in the area. Cllr. Reid will be putting up additional signage, the issue will be monitored and discussed at the next working group meeting.

It was advised that there are holes in the hedge/fence that allow children to access adjoining gardens. This has been referred to the Enhancements committee to consider options and costs for new fencing.

  128/25). To consider any proposals for allocation of up to a £6,000 grant from UKSPF funding to support events that will drive footfall into the town centre for delivery prior to 31 March 2026

Members were provided with a proposal from a group of local businesses and organisations to deliver two events:

• One event on Advent Sunday, to complement the Christmas Light Switch on and capitalising on visitors to the Christmas Tree Festival. Events would include a brass band; Sunday shopping opportunities; window decorations; treasure hunt: live music; Santa and a lantern parade.
• A music festival for the last weekend of March, held in different hospitality venues to encourage movement around town. This will incorporate family friendly events and activities.

The request is for £8,000 of funding in total, £6,000 of High Street Boost funding and £2,000 from the Parish Council, with a view to using the funding to run these events with any proceeds to be reinvested into further future events to the benefit of the whole community.

It was resolved to support the allocation of the full £6,000 of the High Street Boost funding to the group. It was requested that the March event proposal is clarified to confirm the involvement and support of town centre shops, which is a key requirement of the funding.

It was agreed that the council will consider an application for the £2,000 funding in due course, but it will need to be for a specific, costed part of the event, supported by relevant quotes and paid to a community account as opposed to a specific business.

  129/25). Biodiversity Update:

• The council received and noted the minutes from the working group meeting on the 1^st September and discussed the actions arising, which included:
  • Bulb planting is being arranged – Cllr. Langford is liaising with the Scouts to agree a suitable date.
  • Gosling met with a local butterfly expert to discuss the data showing the impact of butterfly species in recent years. A report will soon be available for circulation to the council and the Save Eccleshall group. The building of Sancerre Grange has resulted in a decline in species numbers, although the balancing pond is supporting some increase in meadow species.
  • The pollinator friendly hanging basket voucher scheme is ongoing with the Ecclian Society, and more details will be available in due course.
  • The working group meeting was supported by a senior officer from the Staffordshire Wildlife Trust, who provided a map of the areas of biological importance within Eccleshall and those areas at risk. Also raised were concerns about wildlife corridors and declining water quality.
  • It was resolved to promote the use of the ‘iNaturalist’ app, a citizen science approach to logging flora and fauna in the area, which will provide SWT with important data to identify key areas of biological importance.
  • Work is ongoing to cost and identify locations for additional habitat provision such as swift, bat and bird boxes.
  • It was noted that one area of concern was a wet meadow, identified as an area of biological interest, located adjacent to one of the potential developments. The SWT officer is happy to work with our planning consultant and details will be shared.
  • Some time ago, there was funding offered by SWT for the creation of additional ponds at Elford Heath to support newt populartions. The Clerk will ask for an update and add this to the Enhancements agenda.

  130/25). Clerk’s report, containing liaison representative updates.

The Clerk’s report was received and noted.

  131/25). Correspondence

There was no correspondence for consideration.

  132/25). Chairman’s Report:-

• On 27^th August an Honorary Freeman of the Parish Award was presented to Mr. Jon Ball, at Eccleshall Library, for his contribution to keeping the local library open and dedication to supporting day to day operations of the library and its volunteers, as a long standing member of Eccleshall Mercia Rotary Club. There were over forty people in attendance. We were saddened to hear that Jon passed away just eight days later.
• The literary festival held last weekend was very successful. The children’s day, held in conjunction with Bishops Lonsdale Primary Academy, had approximately eighty in attendance. In the evening there were presentations for the children’s five hundred word story writing competition.

The event was funded from a £250 grant from the North Staffs Arts Society.

• Taylor and Ryan-Bloor will be attending the Mayors Charity Lunch in October, to represent the Council.

  133/25). Financial Matters

• To accept the financial report and bank reconciliation to 31^st August 2025:

       It was resolved to accept the financial summary, which includes the bank reconciliation up to and  including 31^st August 2025.

Payments made since the last full Council meeting were received and noted as follows:

• To approve accounts for payment September 2025:-

Authorisation was sought for payment of the following accounts:

All were in favour and the accounts will be paid accordingly. Cllrs. Taylor and Reid will process the approvals.

• The agreed annual NJC National Salary award for the Clerk, backdated to 1st April 2025 was noted.
• Receipt of Completed Annual Return for 2024-2025

Members formally received the completed Annual Return for 2024-25 and noted there were  no issues identified by the auditors.

   134/25). Items / Date and Venue for next meeting:-

The next meeting of the Parish Council is scheduled for the 15^th October, Offley Hay Village Hall, at 7.30pm. Agenda items can be forwarded to the Clerk for consideration.

There being no further business, the Chairman declared the meeting closed at 8.50pm.