Parish Clerk

Dear Residents,

The Staffordshire Sustainability Board is hosting free tree giveaway events this autumn and winter to encourage Staffordshire residents and community groups to plant trees at home to protect the environment and enhance nature.

The trees will be around 30-60cm long, so easy to fit in your car and take home!

The trees will be a mix of oak, hawthorn, rowan, silver birch, crab apple, hazel and whitebeam and will be available at the following locations from 10am – 2pm:

South Staffordshire – 27 October 2025, Baggeridge Country Park, DY3 4HB

Lichfield – 28 October 2025, Chasewater Country Park, WS8 7NL

Tamworth – 29 October 2025, Tamworth Castle Grounds, B79 7NA

Cannock – 30 October 2025, Marquis Drive, WS12 4PW

Stafford – 31 October 2025, Albert’s Café, ST16 2QP

Newcastle-under-Lyme – 21 November 2025, Apedale Country Park, ST5 6AX

East Staffordshire – 16 February 2026, The Greenhouse at Stapenhill Cemetery, DE15 9AE

Staffordshire Moorlands – 17 February 2026, Deep Hayes Country Park, ST13 7JS

Stoke-on-Trent – 18 February 2026, Westport Lake, ST6 4RZ

Make sure not to miss out – the trees will be given out first come, first served!

If you do collect some trees, contact lily.saeidi2@staffordshire.gov.uk with photos so we can share them on social media.

Dear Residents

Carl Dudley will be giving a talk, entitled Staffordshire Trains on the Level on Thursday 13th November 2025 at 7.30pm at Sandon Parish Room, Lichfield Road, Sandon, ST18 0DN.

The cost is £8 to include tea, coffee and biscuits. All proceeds to the All Saints Church restoration project.

For tickets please call: 0787 6540 491

Car parking is available at the rear of the building.

Trains on the Level – Poster

Dear Residents

Please see details of an upcoming Lecture by Admiral Sir Trevor Soar KCB OBE DL entitled – NELSON & JERVIS: LESSONS IN LEADERSHIP taking place on Thursday 9 October 2025 at Crown Wharf Theatre in Stone.

Tickets are priced at £15 and £10 and can be booked on the Crown Wharf Theatre website. See: www.crownwharftheatre.org.uk

The proceeds from the evening will support The Admiral John Jervis Appeal.

Admiral John Jervis Lecture Poster 2025

Dear Residents

We have had the following update from Cllr Andrew Mynors, our Ward County Councillor.

Progress Update: Sandon & Burston Footbridge Replacement 

I want to share an update regarding the footbridge on the Sandon and Burston Public Footpath 36. 

Importantly, we remain on track to have a bridge reinstated and the footpath safely reopened by the end of this year.  

Our initial hope was to repair the existing bridge but, after our engineers recovered it from the water to carry out detailed offsite inspections, it was found that repairing the damaged bridge would not be cost-effective or long-lasting. Therefore, we will be installing a new and improved bridge. 

I’m pleased to say that funding for the replacement has already been secured so proposals have already been submitted to the Environment Agency for approval so we can get it ordered. 

We want to make sure the new bridge is built to a really high standard, more accessible and designed to last. This kind of careful planning and design work takes time, but our aim is to have the permanent bridge in place next year. 

In the meantime, we’re working on putting in a temporary bridge so the footpath can safely reopen for everyone by the end of the year. This will go ahead as soon as the Environment Agency has approved our proposals and the weather conditions are right. 

Until then, Footpath 36 between the River Trent and Burston Lane will remain closed to keep everyone safe, whilst the site is being prepared for the temporary bridge. 

We understand the public frustration the closures have caused but these are necessary for everyone’s safety. We would welcome any support in discouraging attempts to illegally cross into restricted areas and interfere with closure signage. 

Thank you for your continued patience as we work to make the bridge safe for path users once again.  

We’ll continue to keep you updated as work progresses. 

Many thanks

Cllr Andrew Mynors

Dear Residents

We have had the following information from Stafford Borough Council:

A survey has been launched across Cannock Chase, Stafford Borough, and our fellow councils representing Southern and Mid Staffordshire, who are working towards a business case to submit to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government on our proposals for Local Government Reorganisation (LGR).

The feedback will help shape the future of LGR in the county and we are encouraging residents, businesses, partners and organisations to take part in the survey.

You can access it from https://online1.snapsurveys.com/shapingstaffordshire

Please complete the survey by 1st September 2025.

There’s more information about what LGR and Devolution from the Stafford Borough dedicated webpage – Devolution and Local Government Reorganisation | Stafford Borough Council

All details are in the flyer that can be accessed via the link below
Stafford Survey flyer 2025

Dear Residents
Stafford Borough Council have provided the following letter regarding Local Government and Devolution

Local Government Reorganisation for Staffordshire

Six district and borough local authorities in Southern and Mid Staffordshire have been collaborating to develop plans for Local Government Reorganisation, exploring the right footprint for single tier government across Staffordshire, as requested by Central Government as part of a national programme. The local authorities working together to develop these plans are Stafford Borough Council, Cannock Chase District Council, East Staffordshire Borough Council, Lichfield District Council, South Staffordshire District Council, and Tamworth Borough Council. We understand that the other local authorities in the area have submitted supplementary proposals and therefore it is likely you will receive similar communications from them, if you haven’t already.

We believe that any solution should meet local needs and be informed by local views, enabling stronger community engagement and neighbourhood empowerment given the envisaged much larger geographic footprint. It should be capable of securing efficiencies and improving capacity whilst ensuring we are providing high quality and sustainable public services and providing growth opportunities.

We submitted an interim plan to Central Government in March 2025, which set out some principles for reorganisation and we have now received our feedback. The plan and feedback can be found on the dedicated Local Government Reorganisation section on our website. We are evaluating our preferred option and assessing the benefits that it will deliver, which will inform our final proposal for submission to Central Government. Alongside this we will be commencing resident and wider stakeholder engagement.

We recognise it is vital to consider the views of those who live and work across Staffordshire and as a key partner we want to ensure we spend time understanding your views and how you wish to be engaged through the process. It is vitally important that our proposal ensures we can continue to work together with shared priorities and joint service delivery – as we currently do today.

Over the coming months there will be opportunities to be involved, and we will share more details about our plans in the future. In the meantime, if you would like to discuss this further, any of the six local authorities would be happy to meet to discuss any elements of the reorganisation.

Regards

Councillor Aidan Godfrey, Leader, Stafford Borough Council

To view all information on Stafford Borough Council website please click on this link
https://www.staffordbc.gov.uk/devolution-and-local-government-reorganisation

Dear Residents

The Commissioner’s Independent Scrutiny Panels are looking for a diverse group of people to scrutinise Police powers including the use of stop & search, strip search and powers within custody.

Volunteers will help interrogate information and body worn video to identify issues and be involved in suggesting solutions.

Applications are now open.

Find out more or apply: Independent Scrutiny Panels – Staffordshire Commissioner (staffordshire-pfcc.gov.uk)

Benefits

• be a voice for your community
• share your skills and experience
• Volunteering can advance your career
• meet people and make new friends
• Volunteering can bring fun and fulfilment to your life
• Volunteers bring fresh ideas, raise local concerns and can suggest solutions
• If you are would like to discuss applying for the Commissioner’s Independent Scrutiny Panels, please email: Governance@staffordshire-pfcc.gov.uk

Dear Residents

Stafford Borough Council have provided the feedback letter from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) regarding the proposals for Reorganisation.

The letter from MHCLG makes it clear that their feedback is guidance to support development of final Staffordshire-wide plans – and not approval of the interim proposal.

A full business case submission needs to be sent by 28 November 2025.

Please read the feedback letter in the document below.
SBC Local Government R – Interim-Plan-Feedback-Form 03.06.2025