Approved SPC Meeting Minutes – 09.12.25

99 Register of members in attendance

Cllrs Simon Fisher(Chair), Chris Callow, Mick Cox, Dino D’Ambrosio, Lesley Edgley, Stuart Harrison, Louise Hawes, Chris Jones, Martin McQueen, Gail Nicholls, Alan Pugh, David Salter, David Smith, David Thompson, Phil Whitehouse

Pam Salter (acting clerk) 17 members of the public

100 Acceptance of apologies.

Cllr Fisher introduced himself as the Vice Chair of Shenstone Parish Council and welcomed everyone. He noted the absence of Cllrs Salter and Whitehouse, who were attending a District Council meeting and would arrive late. Absence was approved and accepted. County Councillor Alex Farrell was also absent due to attendance at this same meeting.

101. Public Participation.

Cllr Fisher introduced a resident of Little Aston, who requested the recording to be turned off for their privacy. Two issues were raised.

Firstly, concerns about a proposed development by Marrons on behalf of a landowner, highlighting issues with the consultation process. Resident’s concerns over the development consultation process included:

• Explanation of the three-stage development process and the flaws in the current consultation method.

• the unrealistic imminent deadline of 12^th December for responses to allow for the important proper public consultation and whether this was an arbitrary date
• the pre-application process’s lack of a formal place in the planning process.
• emphasis on the procedural errors and the fear among residents to participate due to the developer’s behaviour.

Council’s Response to Development Consultation Issues included:

• suggestion that the council should take up the concerns with the local planning authority and seek legal advice.
• agreement that the council should pass on the residents’ concerns to the district council.
• requests for a stronger response from the council, suggesting that they write to the developer and express their concerns.
• Reassurance that the answers included on the consultative document at this stage would have no bearing on a formal application

Resolution: Cllr Fisher confirmed the council’s commitment to reflecting the residents’ concerns about the development consultation process

Action: Parish Council to write to the appropriate person at Lichfield District Council to reflect and reinforce the residents’ concerns.

Secondly, concerns on the Conservation Area Extension

A resident raised the issue of the extension of the conservation area and the need for the council’s support.

Council’s response included:

• An explanation of the process of extending the conservation area and the current status of the neighbourhood plan.
• the importance of consulting with the local planning authority and the conservation area team.
• Cllr Smith noted the Little Aston Conservation Area abuts Walsall Council’s boundaries therefore Council needs to be informed of their planning applications that may influence this.

Resolution: Cllr Fisher confirmed that the council will support the residents’ case for extending the conservation area.

The representatives from Little Aston residents thanked the Parish Council for their support and left the meeting.

The Chair then introduced Odette Ghent who was sitting in the public seating area. Odette had been appointed as the new Parish Council Clerk and will be taking up the role on the 5th of January. This evening gave Odette the opportunity to see and meet Councillors.

At 8.40 pm Cllr Fisher noted the presence of Cllrs Whitehouse and Salter, who had joined the meeting following their district meeting. The meeting resumed with audio recording.

102 Declarations of interest.

None to declare

103 To accept and confirm minutes of the last Full Council meeting on Tuesday November 11^th 2025.

Proposal: to adopt the minutes

Vote: minutes approved unanimously and signed

104 Clerk’s update on outstanding issues from last meeting:

-Tree survey in St John the Baptist Cemetery. Three quotes had been received on a like for like basis all within the £1,000 + VAT limit. The cheapest quote was for £750.00 without VAT from a specialist arboriculturist with proven record of excellent work for Councils.

Proposal by Cllr Whitehouse to accept the quote of £750.00 from Peace Arboriculture Seconded by Cllr Pugh Vote: carried unanimously Clerk to action

-Revisiting resolution made under item 56, point 8. Relocated to item 107-Finance

105 Shenstone GP Surgery opening hours.

Cllr Fisher outlined the situation for those unaware of the issue. Cllr Smith summarised the situation. The surgery, run by Westgate practice, have circulated a questionnaire in Stonnall and Little Aston requesting support for a reduction from 5 days opening a week to 3 days indicating that the Shenstone practice is not well used. This includes the reduction of some services. Cllr Edgley feels that if the hours are cut a full service should be guaranteed for those 3 days. Most people when booking, are not offered appointments at Shenstone.

Cllr Salter produced current statistics identifying this as a much-needed service particularly for the above average percentage of elderly residents. Cllr D’Ambrosio also highlighted issues related to under 18’s. It was agreed that a petition is needed. Cllr Nicholls confirmed that one is underway in the library. Proposal to reduce to 3 days will not serve the needs of the community. Cllr Thompson noted the difficulties faced from Covid when the Primary Healthcare Provision Authority had to be involved to reopen the practice

Resolution: create an Action Plan- promote petition on website and Facebook to show commitment of the council; supplement with stats and data; include the MP Sarah Edwards; produce and circulate a letter pointing out distance, accessibility and cost of access to Green Hill Lichfield; approach Shenstone GP practice to discuss the proposed reduction in opening hours and understand their rationale.

106 To receive reports from County and District Councillors.

Cllr Whitehouse reported on the LDC food waste initiative scheduled to commence at the end of March 2026 with plans to involve schools, businesses etc. LDC will be engaging with councils to facilitate

He will be taking up the issue raised during item 101 and will report back to Council and residents. Cllr Fisher reported on his attendance at the new Parish Council Chairs meeting (27^th November) initiated by the MP Sarah Edwards. Eight Parish Council Chairs were present with topics covered being:

• Rural connectivity
• Packington pipeline
• HS2 and freezing of the works at the top end; this to be considered further at a meeting early in 2026. Housing will also be discussed.

The Chair will advise Councillors of the next meeting in order that matters concerning Shenstone Parish to be raised.

107 Finance.

Cllr Edgley presented the current financial position & transactions for approval as of Dec 9^th 2025

Nat West Current: £904.30

Nat West Reserve £38,851.81

Unity bank:£9,864.93

Nat West Liquidity manager (ring-fenced) £85,655.22

Incoming £10,000 due this week for October and November’s VAT incoming funds

There were no questions. Proposal: to accept the accounts Vote: approved unanimously

Consideration of current financial position against budget and forecast

Details of forecasts and financial position had been sent out during the month on spreadsheets. Prediction shows an end of year term surplus remaining of £7,382 against the previous year of £6287.22

Cllr Thompson raised concerns regarding the budget pressure from tree works and queried whether enough provision had been made. He considered the options being to either enhance the operational precept budget end of the financial year by an amount which we feel will cover or look later at what money is left from the cemetery fund for this work. Cllr Salter said that because St John’s cemetery is the only one of the three cemeteries within our Wards which has been transferred to the PC for maintenance, it has its own budget for safety which includes trees.

Cllr Salter raised the issue of budgeting for future elections.

Cllr Pugh recommended strong contingency plans with a deficit left for emergencies.

Agree precept recommendation 2026/27

Cllr Edgley presented the recommended precept increase for 2026/7 of 18.40% and the associated costs, including pension costs and newsletter delivery. (precept for 2025/26 was £212K). This would be an increase of £39k in total. It was highlighted that this would be an increase in cost per household, based on Band D property, of £9.97 per annum.

Increased work on trees options: increase precept or look later at what is left from the cemetery fund.

Proposal: Cllr Fisher moved to agree the precept for 2026 and 2027, proposing an increase by 18.4% to £251,000. (minuted by request- this seems a large increase, but it is actually only equal to £9.97 per household per annum on Band D)

Vote: For-14 Against- 0 Abstention-1 Carried by majority

Agree future use of ring-fenced funds

Ring fenced funds were £25,000 each for professional fees, traffic calming and neighbourhood planning however much of the fund has been spent.

Cllr Thompson presented the 4 recommendations from the Finance Committee as a suggestion for the remainder:

1. The apportioned CIL and precept funds for the 3 wards be called ‘The Capital Projects Fund’
2. The CIL is apportioned to the Neighbourhood Plan area that accrued the CIL.

The Precept is apportioned in accordance with Parish ward apportionment of the households within the 3 Neighbourhood Plan areas.

3. The Neighbourhood plan Steering Group/Councillors elected inside the 3 areas to consult with their Neighbourhood Plan residents and determine capital project priorities
4. Bidding for further resources to be carried out either collectively and/or separately depending on the funding source requirements and offer

Stonnall £11,040 –  already agreed from previous NP Grant in 2015 being held by SPC on behalf of Stonnall for projects that emanate from the current NP refresh

£6,500    – CIL Money previously allocated to Stonnall awaiting projects

Shenstone £16,500 – CIL Money previously allocated to Shenstone awaiting projects

Little Aston (c£9,000)    – overspent CIL Money due to c£35,000 previous awards to Little Aston Village Hall and also to pay for the LA NP re-run.

Future CIL money allocated to Little Aston will be clawed back until the deficit is re-paid.

Proposal: Of the £32 000, £15 000 be reserved for traffic calming if the Parish Council is successful in its recent BID to LDC for £60,000 of CIL Money for traffic calming measures throughout the three Parish Wards., with the remaining balance put aside as contingency for such things as tree work in Shenstone Cemetery Vote: For 13 Against 0 Abstentions 2 Carried by majority

Lengthsmen contract

Resolution: to be referred to the Employment Committee who would report back to Council

Cllr Thompson considered that resultant pressures on the Clerk need to be reviewed and noted that the council are open to re-evaluating the situation.

Deferred item 104 This relates to item 58 point 8 at the September meeting: ‘The budget resources for the consultation re-run will come from the Little Aston Neighbourhood Plan projects budget allocated to Little Aston as part of the CIL budget’. Cllr Whitehouse did not support this item. It was discussed further at the November meeting without resolution and was deferred for further advice to be sought. The receipt of a written request from 5 Councillors, with advice received, had brought it to this agenda. Standing orders were suspended to revisit the resolution.

Cllr Pugh confirmed that, following extensive research, including precedent by other councils and specialist advice, the Neighbourhood Plan re-run for Little Aston could be paid for with CIL money. Although taking out CIL for this purpose might stop other projects, he believed that investment in the Neighbourhood Plan was crucial as evidenced by residents in item 101 who were relying on it to support their concerns. He believed that the long-term investment in the Neighbourhood Plan would be more beneficial than the short-term gains from spending the £2000 on other projects.

Cllr Smith expressed his on-going concerns suggesting that the overspend should be met by the Parish Council as it had created the need for the re-run; therefore, CIL should not be used for the Neighbourhood Plan re-run. Cllr Whitehouse also felt this was not in the public interest. ¹Cllr Pugh considered that the re-run of the Neighbourhood Plan for Little Aston could appropriately be funded through CIL. Lichfield District Council’s CIL guidance explicitly lists “Preparation of Neighbourhood Plans” as an approved area of expenditure. This makes the CIL budget the most suitable and justified budget to cover the costs of the re-run for Little Aston. It was emphasised that the overspend will be covered and the £2,000 allocated from the Neighbourhood Plan would be returned.

Proposal: the rerun of Little Aston Neighbourhood Plan be funded from the Little Aston CIL

Vote: In favour-10 Against-5 Carried by majority

Cllr Smith wished his vote against the proposal to be minuted and recorded as a vote for the support of the electorate not the council.

Next meeting of Finance, Legal, Health & Safety Committee: To be arranged.

108 Planning.

There is a resubmission planning application for Shenstone 25/01290 and a new application for Little Aston 25/01475

There is a 4^th attempt by Julian Properties Ltd to build behind the cottages on Main Street in Shenstone, this has been refused 3 times and Council will continue to object.

Planning appeal outcome for Shenstone Business Park: the appeal was upheld in favour of the planning officer.

Next meeting of the Neighbourhood, Planning & Property Committee Meeting:

Tuesday Jan 27^th, 2026, at  5.30pm Shenstone Parish Office

109 Neighbourhood plan reviews:

Shenstone Neighbourhood Plan Priorities are to be voted on in the new year

Stonnall- waiting for the planning officer to come back with the next steps

Little Aston- there is a preference for recreational development

110 Community grants

Proposal: to approve the 4 recommendations from the Finance Committee following a grant review. Vote: approved unanimously

111 Update on Roads Group and County Officer walk round

Cllr McQueen reported on a productive meeting with County Council representatives, discussing traffic measures and the potential for physical impediments.

Cllr Smith emphasised the importance of strategic solutions to reduce ‘rat running’ and suggested using any surplus funds for this purpose. Cllr Fisher thanked Cllr McQueen and all those involved for their input.

112 CIL Fund Allocation

112.1 Covered in item 107 and relocated from item 104 to 107 as a Finance matter

112.2 The CIL bid proposal for £60,000 has to be submitted by 16^th December.

It was proposed to divide the remaining CIL fund into three areas based on the neighbourhood plans and the need for traffic calming.

Cllr Edgley provided the individual CIL totals for each ward and the deficit in Little Aston’s fund. The idea of a spreadsheet to track the breakdown of the CIL fund at each council meeting was proposed.

Cllr Thompson stated that previous CIL distribution had not adhered to the standard process and needed better stewardship and that with the new Clerk we must manage this area better.

Cllr Salter reminded members that it was not the stewardship of the current Clerk that had resulted in the distribution methods of our CIL and that to be absolutely clear, we as a Council decided that we would share our CIL equally between the wards as per the use of £8000 to each ward for play equipment. All agreed that it was a council decision.

112.3 LDC Strategic CIL 2025. Proposal Approval of the prepared application for £60k for traffic calming equipment. Document was circulated to Councillors in advance of the meeting.

Vote: approved unanimously Action: Cllr McQueen to submit the bid for traffic safety improvements funding to the County Council

113 Procurement of an SPF lease advisor and surveying consultant

Standing Orders did not need to be suspended as the author of this item, Cllr Thompson, wished to defer it to the next meeting in January 2026

114 Next meeting of Full Council:13^th Jan 2026, Shenstone Community Library 7.15pm

The Chair concluded the meeting at 9.24pm