Sandon and Burston Parish Council – Annual Parish Assembly

SANDON and BURSTON Annual Parish Assembly – 19 May 2021

Notes of the Meeting Chaired by Councillor S Shelley, Chairman of the Parish Council

Present

Parish Councillors: A Hudson, K Hughes, S Shelley, H Wildblood, R Wildblood and G Wyatt

Parishioners: Mr and Mrs Rundle

Parish Council Clerk: T Gould

1.Annual Report of the Parish Council

Presented by Councillor Shelley – Chairman of the Parish Council

This year has been a year like no other.  Our main concern has been to support our local residents through what has been a very challenging year.  At the beginning of April the country faced an unprecedented pandemic.  The impact that this has had on us as a Parish Council is that we have been unable to hold public meetings at our usual venue of Sandon Parish Room.  Nine Parish Council meetings held this year.  We had cancelled April, May Annual Parish Meeting and Annual Parish Assembly and June meetings whilst awaiting government guidance as the pandemic unfolded.  The Parish Council meetings from July onwards have gone ahead and Parish Councillors have embraced the new technology that is Zoom.  We have been delighted to welcome parishioners to these meetings and now that government legislation has come to an end, we look forward to going back to holding meetings in public.

During the year Roger Harris resigned.  I would like to thank Roger for the contribution he has made to the Council over the years.  Roger attended Stone Area Liaison Group meetings on behalf of the Council. We welcomed new co-opted Members to the Council – Ashley Hudson last March (replacing Julie Charlton and Gill Wyatt in October (replacing Jason Charlton) and more recently Kylie Hughes in February (replacing Roger Harris).  I am pleased that we have a full quota of Councillors representing Sandon and Burston.

Councillor Ian Parry continues to represent Stone Rural Division as County Councillor and attended the November Parish Council meeting.

Our Borough Council representative Councillor Andrew Harp has attended every meeting and we have been pleased to receive a regular Newsletter from Councillor F Beatty.

There was a small increase in the precept this year in order to re-establish reserves and fund future projects.  Donations were made to Katharine House Hospice which faced closure due to lack of funds during the pandemic, Oak Tree Farm Rural Project and the Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal.

Unfortunately, the Community Link bus service has been suspended during the pandemic.  We hope to recommence this as soon as it is safe to do so.  I would like to thank Sandon Village Stores for staying open during the pandemic and supporting our local community.

Dialogue with other authorities continued throughout the year in particular Staffordshire County Council and Stafford Borough Council.  The Parish Council have joined Support Staffordshire to strengthen our links with the voluntary sector, who have been especially valuable during this year. Involvement with Stone Area Liaison Group continued with Councillor Wyatt attending meetings.

During the year the Parish Council has been consulted on four planning applications.

Dialogue with the County Council continued throughout the year with the following issues being raised with them:

Burston drain, flooding outside Dog and Doublet, pothole and damage to verges Burston Lane, planting of a tree Burston (not possible due to underground and overhead cables), damaged road sign Milwich Road (repaired).

During the year:

Burston car park has been resurfaced.  The Stocks have now been renovated and re-sited on Hilderstone Road.  We have a new Berrisford bench sited outside the Dog and Doublet and the old bench has been refurbished and re-sited along the Hilderstone Road.  We continue to liaise with the Fishing Club to ensure that resident, visitors and Club members can enjoy this picturesque village feature.  We are investigating safety measures at the Pool.

We are really pleased to see the improvements to Station Avenue and thank Network Rail for their involvement.

We would like to thank Councillor Parry and the Principal Rights of Way Officer for funding the repairs to Footpath 36 part of Two Saints Way which was badly damaged by flooding.  This has meant that the footpath has been re-opened this year and can be enjoyed by residents and visitors.  Thanks to Councillor Hudson for leading on this project and to Councillor H Wildblood for funding and fixing a latch and notice to the gate.

It was decided last year that we needed to review our website to meet new accessibility standards.  The Parish Council undertook a tendering process for a new website, and I am pleased to say that Staffordshire County Council have worked with the Clerk to develop a new more responsive website – sandonandburstonpc.org.uk.

Councillors remain concerned regarding the speed of vehicles travelling along the A51 and road safety in the area.  This will be the focus of our attention going forward.

The Chairman thanked Parish Councillors for their support during the year and in particular his Vice Chair and Clerk.

2. Statement of the Parish Council Accounts for year ended 31 March 2021

Presented by the Clerk.

3. Estimates on the Parish Council Finances for the year ended 31 March 2022.

Presented by the Clerk.

4. Report from the Parish Council Representative for Sandon Parish Room Trustees.

Presented by Councillor Shelley who is also the Sandon Parish Room Trustees’ Chairman.

There has been limited use of the Room during the year (Post Office only as Covid 19 regulations permitted). The Parish Room was being redecorated internally and externally.

5. To receive observations of the County Councillor, Stone Rural Division

Councillor Parry not present.  No report submitted.

6. To receive observations of the Borough Councillors, Milwich Ward

Councillors Harp and Beatty not present. No report submitted.

7. To consider resolutions on which written notice has been given.

None received.

8. To deal with any other business raised by Parishioners.

No matters raised.