Berkswich Parish Council Annual Meeting 5 May 2026

BERKSWICH PARISH COUNCIL

Minutes of the Annual Berkswich Parish Council Meeting held on

Tuesday 5 May 2026 at 7.30 pm at Walton Village Hall

Present:       Cllr Alan Taylor (Chair), Cllr Michael Norris (Vice-Chair), Cllr Sue Francis, Cllr Beverley Hughes, Cllr Bob Gilson, Cllr Ann Millichap, Cllr Malcolm Millichap and Cllr Tim Luker.

In attendance:   SCC & SBC Cllr Ann Edgeller, SBC Cllr Peter Edgeller and Mrs Sue Fullwood, Clerk/RFO.

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting.

26/46        Public Session

1. R&J Aggregates, Milford

Cllr P Edgeller gave an update on the situation, that aggregate was being broken on site which breached planning permission.  Cllr Taylor said that SBC had the power to issue a ‘Stop’ notice but SBC might be deterred from doing that by the cost implications if the notice was not upheld following any appeal to the Planning Inspectorate or challenge through the courts.  Cllr A Edgeller said that she had sent an email to the planning team on 13 March and had chased a response on 5 May.  Cllr P Edgeller said that the situation was intolerable for the people living nearby.

26/47        Election of Chair for the year 2026/27

The Clerk/RFO, Sue Fullwood, invited nominations for the office of Chair for the year 2026/27.  Resolved: Cllr Sue Francis nominated Cllr Taylor, seconded by Cllr Luker, agreed unanimously.

26/48        Election of Vice‑Chair for the year 2026/27

Cllr Caroline Pearson had stepped down from the role and Cllr Norris had been Acting Vice‑Chair.  Resolved: The Chair nominated Cllr Norris to be Vice-Chair for the year 2026/27, seconded by Cllr Luker, agreed unanimously. Clerk to update the website.  Action: Clerk

26/49        Apologies – apologies received from Cllr Caroline Pearson due to family illness and Cllr Vicky Campbell.  SCC Cllr Andrew Mynors could not attend as he was at another meeting.

26/50        Minutes of the meetings held on 3 March 2026 – Resolved: Cllr Francis proposed that the minutes be accepted as a true and accurate record, seconded by Cllr Luker.  All in favour apart from one who abstained.

Minutes of the meetings held on 7 April 2026 – Resolved: Cllr Francis proposed that the minutes be accepted as a true and accurate record, seconded by Cllr Luker. Agreed unanimously.

26/51         Declarations of Interest regarding items on the agenda – None.

26/52        Policies and Procedures

Resolved: Cllr M Millichap proposed to approve the following policies ‘en bloc’ on the basis that they were all based on NALC templates with minor amendments:

1. Standing Orders
2. Financial Regulations

• Staffing Committee Terms of Reference

1. Delegation arrangements
2. Complaints Policy
3. Press and Media Policy

• Clerk Absence Arrangements (bespoke, not from template)
• Freedom of Information Policy

1. Data Protection Policy
2. Employment Policies: Annual Leave Policy; Carers Leave Policy; Compassionate Leave Policy; Dignity at Work Policy; Disciplinary Policy; Equality and Diversity Policy; Grievance Policy; Homeworking Policy; Lone Working Policy; Performance Improvement Policy; and Sickness Absence Policy

Seconded by Cllr Norris, agreed unanimously.  Clerk to update documents on the website.  Action: Clerk

26/53        Meeting/Body Representatives for:

1. Staffing Committee – Resolved: Cllr Pearson had stood down from the committee. Cllr Campbell had agreed to join the committee at the Extraordinary meeting on 30 April.  Cllrs Taylor, Gilson and Luker to remain on the Staffing Committee with Cllr M Millichap reserved for appeals.  Clerk to attend as required.  Chair to be agreed at meetings, potentially to be rotated.  Proposed by Cllr Luker, seconded by Cllr Hughes, agreed unanimously.  Clerk to update the website and set up a meeting ASAP.  Action: Clerk
2. Finance Working Group – Cllr M Millichap wished to step down from this group and suggested that two further councillors should be added to the group as one member was not a councillor, aside from the Clerk. Resolved: Cllr Luker proposed that Cllr Francis and Cllr Norris should be added to the group in place of Cllr M Millichap, seconded by Cllr M Millichap, agreed unanimously. Clerk to update the website.  Action: Clerk

• Environment Group – It was agreed that membership of the group should continue as it is: Cllr Luker (Chair), Cllr Taylor, Cllr Francis, Cllr Gilson, Cllr Campbell and the Clerk as required. The next meeting would be on 12 May at the Barley Mow, start time to be confirmed.  Clerk to write an article encouraging members of the public to join.  Action: Clerk

1. Village Hall Council of Management – Cllr Pearson had stood down from the role and the Chair asked if anyone would like to volunteer to represent BPC. Resolved: Cllr Hughes agreed to take on this role.  Clerk to inform the Chair of VHCM.  Action: Clerk
2. Stafford East Rural Parishes Group (SERPG) – Resolved: the Chair was happy to attend or other councillors were welcome to attend on an ad hoc basis if they were interested. Clerk to attend dependent on agenda.

26/54        General Power of Competence

Resolved: that the Council met the prescribed conditions for the General Power of Competence and readopted it for the year 2026/27.

26/55        Review of:

Earmarked Reserves

The Clerk/RFO suggested a revised list of reserves as at 31 March 2026 which had previously been shared with the Finance Working Group.  Mr Rowell had queried whether some of the funds had been collected to address contentious planning proposals and the Chair confirmed that they had, therefore this money should be earmarked for that in future.  Resolved: Cllr Francis proposed the funds as below, seconded by Cllr Luker and agreed unanimously.  Action: Clerk

Asset Register

The Clerk had updated the Asset Register to reflect the purchases made in 25/26, the valuation of Hollybush Playing Fields and the replaced planters.  Resolved: Cllr M Millichap proposed that the updated Register was agreed, seconded by Cllr Norris, agreed unanimously.  Clerk to update on the website.  Action: Clerk

Financial Risk Assessment

Resolved: Cllr M Millichap proposed that the updated Financial Risk Assessment was agreed, seconded by Cllr Luker and agreed unanimously.  Clerk to update on the website.  Action: Clerk

26/56        Review of Annual Subscriptions

Resolved: The Chair proposed continuation of the Council’s membership of the Staffordshire Parish Councils Association (SPCA) including membership of the National Association of Local Councils (NALC), seconded by Cllr Francis and agreed unanimously.  Action: Clerk The Clerk had requested that Council approved payment for her to join the Society of Local Council Clerks (SLCC).  Resolved: Cllr Taylor proposed that this was approved, seconded by Cllr Norris and agreed unanimously. Action: Clerk 

26/57        Meeting Schedule and Forward Plan for 2026/27

Resolved: the meeting dates and Forward Plan were agreed unanimously.  Clerk to book the Village Hall and update the website.  Action: Clerk

26/58        Clerk’s Report for April 2026 – Resolved: accepted unanimously.

26/59        Insurance Provider for 2026/27

The Clerk had requested quotes from four insurance companies, but only two had responded.  The Clerk had prepared a report comparing the two policies, the main difference being the price quoted.  Resolved: The Chair proposed to accept the quote from Hiscox Insurance through AJG Community Schemes as a three-year deal, seconded by Cllr Francis and agreed unanimously.  Action: Clerk

26/60        Potential Adoption of Bluebell Hollow Playground

Taylor Wimpey had sent an email to say that they would not be in a position

to offer commuted sums or enter into a new S106 to facilitate the handover of the playground to the Council.  They were willing to carry out any works needed to get the area into an acceptable standard following a RoSPA inspection to ensure the area was suitable for the future. Without any commuted sum Council were not interested in adopting the play area.  When SBC had been offered it 20 years ago they had asked for a commuted sum of £200,000.  Council would continue to monitor the situation and report issues to Taylor Wimpey.  Concerns were raised that their email implied that they were not having regular RoSPA inspections and the equipment could be dangerous.  Resolved: Clerk to respond to Taylor Wimpey confirming the Council would not accept the playground on those terms and to ask for the latest safety inspection report.  If the information was not forthcoming the Clerk would put in an FoI request.  Action: Clerk

26/61        Financial Matters

1. Bank reconciliation and expenditure for April 2026 Resolved: Cllr M Millichap proposed to approve the report, seconded by Cllr Francis and approved unanimously.

1. Budget reports for Year Ending March 2026 and April 2026 – Resolved: Cllr Luker proposed to approve the reports, seconded by Cllr M Millichap and approved unanimously.

26/62        Planning Matters

1. Response to Listed Building Consent applications 26/42097/LBC, 26/42069/LBC and 26/42083/LBC – Congreve House, Congreve Close, Walton on the Hill. Resolved: The Chair proposed that Council should object to 26/42097/LBC due to plans for external insulating render, but should raise no objection to applications 26/42069/LBC and 26/42083/LBC – this was agreed unanimously.  Action: Clerk

26/63        Reports from other meetings

1. Environment Group

Cllr Luker updated that the group had set up a meeting with the FiPL Officer at 10am on 12 May at the Barley Mow and everyone was welcome.  Cllr Luker hoped to start the meeting earlier than 10am so that the group could look at the possibility of a bid to the Cannock Chase Sustainable Development Fund.  Keyzor’s had done a report into T001 and T005 at Walton Coppice and while one was doing reasonably well, Keyzor’s had suggested more detailed investigation work on the other.

Resolved: it was agreed to place an order with Keep Britain Tidy for the dog waste posters and stickers pack for £150.  Action: Clerk

1. TVCG (to be renamed Stafford East Rural Parishes Group – SERPG)

The Chair had attended the meeting on 14 April and the Clerk would circulate the draft minutes.  Action: Clerk

26/64        Items for the Agenda for the Parish Council Meeting scheduled for Tuesday 2 June 2026 – Minutes of the Extraordinary Committee of the Staffing Committee on 30 April, Planting in New Planters, Internal Audit Report and agreement of AGAR forms for 2025/26.

Cllr Francis said that TGM had made a lovely job of replanting the flower beds on Milford Road and suggested a thank you letter be sent, agreed unanimously.  Action: Clerk

The Chair thanked everyone for attending and closed the meeting at 8.25 pm.