Parish Clerk

The Parish Council would like to thank the resident who reported the issue with the Culvert in Burston and the Streetscene Team at Stafford Borough Council for repairing it so quickly.

🌿 COMMUNITY LITTER PICK 🌿

Help Keep Our Villages Tidy.

📅 Saturday 25th April 2026
⏰ Starting at 10:00 AM

📍 Meeting Point
Sandon Parish Room, Sandon, ST18 0DN

🧹 Litter Picking in Sandon & Burston

Join your Parish Councillors to help tidy up our villages and keep them looking their best.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Everyone Welcome
Bring friends, family and neighbours!

🧤 Litter pickers and bags will be provided by the Parish Council

☕ Refreshments
Tea, Coffee & Cake will be provided afterwards for all volunteers at the Sandon Parish Room.

🌱 Thank you for helping keep Sandon & Burston clean and beautiful!

Dear Residents

Staffordshire County Council have provided the following update – 05.03.2026.

“A further update on the Burston footbridge and explain the current position following recent flooding and continued wet weather.

Although all preparations are in place, ground conditions at the site remain too wet and unstable for construction to begin. The River Trent has burst its banks on a few occasions, leaving the surrounding land waterlogged.  A sustained period of drier weather is needed to allow the ground to dry out sufficiently so that heavy machinery can safely access the site without causing damage.

This machinery is essential to install the temporary footbridge safely and correctly.  Attempting to proceed before conditions improve would risk further delays and potential damage to the land and structure.

The permanent replacement bridge has now been manufactured and is currently with the supplier, awaiting delivery.  Once ground conditions allow, we will first install the temporary bridge, which will act as the support structure needed to safely install the permanent bridge. The temporary bridge will then be removed once the permanent structure is in place.

I fully recognise the ongoing frustration locally and want to reassure you that we are ready to move forward as soon as it is safe to do so. We are hopeful that, subject to weather conditions, this work can take place in the spring.

We will continue to monitor the site closely and will provide further updates as soon as there is any change.”

The law on dogs and livestock is changing

From March 2026, tougher penalties and new police powers will be in place to better protect farm animals and support our rural communities:

🐕 It is now an offence if a dog:

🚫 Attacks livestock
🚫 Chases, stalks or frightens livestock
🚫 Causes stress, injury, death, miscarriage or loss of produce

⚠️ Important: A dog does NOT need to touch an animal for an offence to occur

🐄 The law protects a wide range of livestock, including:

🐑 Sheep
🐄 Cattle (cows, bulls, calves)
🐐 Goats
🐖 Pigs
🐎 Horses
🦃 Poultry (chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese)
🦙 Alpacas and llamas

📍 These protections apply: ✅ On farmland
✅ On public footpaths
✅ On roads where livestock are present

👮‍♀️ New police powers include:

🐕‍🦺 Seizing dogs involved in livestock worrying
🏠 Entering premises with a warrant
🧬 Taking DNA and other evidence
💷 Recovering costs from offenders
⚖️ Courts can issue unlimited fines

🐾 Dog owners – your responsibilities:

✅ Keep dogs under close control near livestock
✅ Use a lead in fields with animals
✅ Public rights of way still count

📢 Remember: It’s your dog. Your responsibility.

Dear Residents

The Parish Council understands that work is taking place to provide the village with Fibre Optic cables for Broadband.

No other information available, except the photo of works taking place, we suggest you contact your provider for an update.

The government has launched its formal consultation on Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) in Staffordshire, it was originally indicated this was to happen in May 2026.

This statutory consultation seeks views on the proposals that the Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) has received from Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent’s principal councils.

The proposals are:

Cannock Chase District Council, East Staffordshire Borough Council, Stafford Borough Council, Stoke‑on‑Trent City Council proposed 2 unitary councils. These would comprise the current areas of:

• North Staffordshire: Newcastle‑under‑Lyme, Staffordshire Moorlands, and Stoke‑on‑Trent
• South Staffordshire: Cannock Chase, East Staffordshire, Lichfield, South Staffordshire, Stafford, and Tamworth

Staffordshire County Council proposed 2 unitary councils. These would comprise the current areas of:

• East Staffordshire: East Staffordshire, Lichfield, Staffordshire Moorlands, Stoke-on-Trent, and Tamworth
• West Staffordshire: Cannock Chase, Newcastle-under-Lyme, South Staffordshire, and Stafford

Staffordshire Moorlands District Council proposed 2 unitary councils: This includes a request to split existing district council areas between the proposed new councils. These would comprise the district areas of:

• North Staffordshire: Newcastle-under-Lyme, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire Moorlands, plus 16 parishes from East Staffordshire and 6 from Stafford
• Southern and Mid-Staffordshire: Cannock Chase, Lichfield, South Staffordshire, Tamworth, and the remaining 22 parishes of East Staffordshire, and 34 of Stafford

Lichfield District Council, South Staffordshire Borough Council, Tamworth Borough Council proposed 3 unitary councils. These would comprise the current areas of:

• North Staffordshire: Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire Moorlands, and Stoke-on-Trent
• South-West Staffordshire: Cannock Chase, South Staffordshire, and Stafford
• South-East Staffordshire: Lichfield, East Staffordshire, and Tamworth

Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council proposed 4 unitary councils. These would comprise the current areas of:

• Unitary Authority 1: Newcastle-under-Lyme
• Unitary Authority 2: Cannock Chase, South Staffordshire, and Stafford
• Unitary Authority 3: Staffordshire Moorlands, and Stoke-on-Trent
• Unitary Authority 4: East Staffordshire, Lichfield and Tamworth.

This consultation asks you questions about each proposal.
This consultation will last for 7 weeks and closes at 23:59 on 26^th March 2026.

We are encouraging every local council to submit a formal response to the consultation, as well as share the consultation with your residents and encourage them to take part. Councillors/clerks can also respond individually.

The link to the online survey is here – https://consult.communities.gov.uk/local-government-reorganisation/staffordshire-and-stoke-on-trent/

Full details of the consultation and how to respond in writing can be found here – https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/local-government-reorganisation-in-staffordshire-and-stoke-on-trent/proposals-for-local-government-reorganisation-in-staffordshire-and-stoke-on-trent

TEMPORARY PROHIBITION OF TRAFFIC
B5066 Sandon Road
Hilderstone
NOTICE is hereby given that Staffordshire County Council on 24 February 2026 intends to make an Order the effect of which will be to prohibit any vehicle from proceeding in that length of B5066 Sandon
Road in Hilderstone in so much as passes by and is in the immediate vicinity of the property known as ‘The Hollies’ unless the vehicle is being used in connection with the works; or is being used for police, fire brigade or ambulance purposes.
An alternative route for traffic is available and will be signed on site.
visit: https://one.network/?tm=GB147658960.

The order will come into operation on 3rd March 2026 and the said works will commence on or as near
as practicable to that date. It is anticipated that the works (which will take place between the hours
of 09:30 and 15:00) will be completed on the same day.

The Order will remain in force for a period of 18 months, or until the BT pole replacement works, which it is proposed to carry out on or near the road have been completed, whichever is the earlier.
Date: 11 February 2026
Kate Loader, County Solicitor
No. 2 Staffordshire Place, Tipping Street, Stafford. ST16 2DH
Ref: 4467821
Enquiries: Customer Contact Centre Tel: 0300 111 8000
https://one.network

Dear Residents

Cllr Andrew Mynors, Staffordshire County Council, has provided the following update:

Update: Temporary Burston Footbridge

I wanted to provide a further update on the situation with the Burston temporary footbridge and outline where things currently stand.

All the preparations for installing the temporary bridge are now complete, and our teams are ready to begin work as soon as weather and ground conditions allow. This temporary structure is the quickest way to reopen Sandon and Burston Public Footpath 36 while the new permanent bridge continues to be built off‑site.

As you will be aware, we had originally hoped to install the temporary bridge earlier in the autumn. However, the legally required approval from the Environment Agency was not received until December. Since then, the ground around the site has become heavily waterlogged due to repeated wet weather, making it unsafe for the heavy machinery needed to move the bridge sections, prepare the ground, and set the temporary foundations.

This specialist equipment is essential for ensuring the bridge is installed safely and to the correct standard. Attempting to access the site in its current condition would risk damaging the structure, surrounding land, and potentially lead to further delays. For this reason, we must wait for conditions to improve before work can begin.

Once the temporary bridge is installed, the footpath will be able to reopen to the public while the permanent replacement bridge progresses. When the permanent structure is ready for installation and the ground is sufficiently stable, the temporary bridge will act as a safe working platform during construction before being removed.

We recognise the continued frustration locally and share that disappointment. I want to reassure you that all permissions, designs and components are now in place. We are monitoring the ground conditions closely, and the team will move on site at the earliest safe opportunity.

In the meantime, Footpath 36 between the River Trent and Burston Lane will remain closed to protect public safety.

I will provide a further update as soon as we are in a position to proceed.

Kind regards

Cllr Andrew Mynors

Dear Residents

The Police will be holding a Police Surgery in the Car Park of Sandon Room, Lichfield Road, Sandon on Friday 13th February 2026 starting at 6pm until 7pm.

Please go along to meet the local PCSO and discuss any concerns you have with them.

The Parish Council will be raising:
– Speeding on the A51 from Weston to Stone through Sandon and affecting Burston turning.
– The accident rate at the Dog and Doublet junction (A51/B5066)
– Road closure for the next year on the B5066 due to housing development in Stafford.