MEETING OF STOURPORT-ON-SEVERN TOWN COUNCIL

Tuesday 15th July 2025

Venue: Coroners Court, Civic Centre, Stourport-on-Severn

PRESENT:

The Town Mayor: Councillor J Thomas (In the Chair)

Councillors T Berry; E Burnip; M Freeman; J Griffiths; K Henderson; B Jones; R Lloyd; D Morris; C Rogers; I Schmeising-Barnes; T Schmeising-Barnes; H Williams.

  1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE

    Apologies for absence were received from Councillors B Dawes, P Harrison, D Little, N Martin and A Sutton.

  2. MINUTES

     It was RESOLVED that the Minutes of the Meeting of the Council held on 17th June 2025 be confirmed as a correct record and signed by the Mayor.

  3. DECLARATIONS OF INTEREST

    There were no declarations of interest.

  4. PUBLIC QUESTION TIME

    There was no public question time.

  5. MAYORS COMMUNICATIONS

    The Mayors engagements were circulated and noted.

    Councillor K Perks (Worcestershire County Council) joined the meeting at 18.34.

    The Town Mayor presented representatives from the charities Parkinsons UK and Worcestershire Breast Haven Unit with cheques totalling £4,352.17. The Town Mayor advised that monies had been raised during his previous Mayoral year through a variety of fundraising activities.

    The Town Mayor, the Town Clerk and the two charity representatives left the room at 18.35 to take some publicity photographs and returned at 18.37.

  6. MOTIONS SUBMITTED UNDER STANDING ORDERS

    No motions had been received, in accordance with Section 9 and 10 of the Council’s Standing Orders.

  7. UPDATE FROM COUNCILLORS I CRESSWELL AND K PERKS (STOURPORT WORCESTERSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL COUNCILLORS)

    Councillor Perks informed Members that ‘Worcestershire on Demand’ would be rolled out across Worcestershire. The flexible transport option would be available to Stourport-on-Severn residents during Winter 2025.

    Councillor Perks discussed the expansion of the Local Transport Plan 5 (LTP 5), and informed Members that Stourport-on-Severn would act as a test bed for this.

    Councillor Perks informed Members that some of his Divisional Funds had been used to support the Food Share Wyre Forest & Community Cafe in Areley Kings, and the Civic Group at the Civic Centre.

    Councillor Perks requested an update from the Town Clerk regarding a request to site a Vehicle Activated Sign (VAS) on Lower Lickhill Road, Stourport-on-Severn. The Town Clerk informed Councillor Perks that she had contacted Members of Stourport-on-Severn Town Council VAS Working Party, and that the Officer who had raised the request would receive her comments imminently.

    In response to a Member question as to how Stourport-on-Severn would feature in LTP 5, Councillor Perks replied that it had yet to be confirmed.

  8. PLANNING COMMITTEE MINUTES OF 8TH JULY 2025

    The Chairman of the Planning Committee provided an overview of the applications which had been discussed at the most recent meeting of the Planning Committee.

    It was resolved that the minutes of the Planning Committee meeting held on 8th July 2025 be approved.

  9. VERBAL UPDATE FROM THE CHAIRMAN OF STOURPORT FUTURE WORKING PARTY

    Councillor Griffiths provided an update. The Working Party had continued to make good progress in producing the Vision document. 

    Councillor Griffiths advised Members that the next meeting would take place on Wednesday 23rd July 2025 and that Members would be welcome to attend to learn more about the work being undertaken. 

    Councillor Griffiths requested volunteers to help at the events caravan to promote the Town Council at the upcoming Stourport-on-Severn Carnival. 

    A Member raised a question regarding boarded up shops along the High Street and questioned whether anything could be done to make the hoardings look more appealing. Councillor Jackie Griffiths resolved to ask the “Making Stourport The Best It Can Be” sub-group of the Stourport Future Working Party to review this. 

  10. VERBAL UPDATE FROM THE CIVIC HALL WORKING PARTY

    An update was not available.

  11. UPDATES FROM COUNCILLOR REPRESENTATIVES ON OUTSIDE BODIES/CABINET MEMBER FOR WYRE FOREST DISTRICT COUNCIL 

    Councillor Rogers (Cabinet Member of Wyre Forest District Council) provided an update following the Wyre Forest District Council (WFDC) Cabinet meeting which had been held on 8th July 2025:

    • WFDC would move forward with plans to use hydrotreated vegetable oil in their fleet.
    • Approval had been given to adopt the Verna Calculator so that Bio Diversity Net Gain Monitoring Fees would be standardised.
    • Debt which totalled £372,500.00 had been written off.
    • The site of the old Golf Course in Stourport-on-Severn had been earmarked for sale once relevant planning permission had been obtained.
    • £2.3million had been allocated to North Worcestershire Flood Resistance Projects.
    • There had been a proposal to refurbish a property in Stourport-on-Severn to house vulnerable people.

    Members raised questions regarding the debt that had been written off. Specifically, where did the debt come from and how much was owed to WFDC in total. Councillor Rogers resolved to provide Members with an answer.

    Councillor Lloyd provided an update following a meeting of Kidderminster and District Youth Trust (KDYT) on Thursday 10th July 2025. Councillor Lloyd noted that future funding for staff may be at risk and that KDYT had published their Summer programme of events.

    Councillor Lloyd gave a further update following the most recent meeting of the Carnival Committee. Councillor Lloyd confirmed that all road closures had been obtained. Wyre Forest District Council had donated £500.00 to assist with the cost of providing bins and disposing of waste following the event. The Carnival Committee had launched a Community Hero Award scheme.

    Councillor T Schmeising-Barnes attended a meeting of the County Association of Local Councils (CALC) Executive Committee on Tuesday 1st July 2025. The meeting focused on the move to a unitary authority and devolution.

    The Town Clerk informed the meeting that Church House no longer required a nominated Town Councillor to attend their meetings.

  12. ACCOUNTS

    It was reported that Accounts for June 2025 totalling £41,681.32 had been paid since the last meeting and it was RESOLVED that the report be noted and approved. A Schedule of the Accounts paid was appended at the end of these Minutes, in the Council’s Minute Book, and was available for general inspection.

  13. ANY OTHER BUSINESS

    There was no other business.

  14. EXCLUSION OF THE PRESS AND PUBLIC

    Decision: "Under Section 100A(4) of the Local Government Act 1972 the press and public be excluded from the meeting during the consideration of the following items of business on the grounds that they involve the likely disclosure of "exempt information" as defined in paragraphs of Part 1 of Schedule 12A to the Act.

  15. VERBAL UPDATE FROM THE CHAIRMAN OF THE LOCALISM WORKING PARTY

    Councillor Williams provided Members with an update following a meeting which took place with Ian Miller (Chief Executive, Wyre Forest District Council) and Councillor Tracey Onslow (Wyre Forest District Council Councillor) since the last meeting of the Town Council. Councillor Williams provided an overview of all assets which had been under consideration and the Localism Committee had expressed interest in several assets currently owned by Wyre Forest District Council. The Localism Working Party were awaiting further information which would support their decisions in principle regarding other assets. Members resolved to approve Councillor Willaims proposals to move forward and acquire assets under the Localism Act 2011.

  16. VERBAL UPDATE FROM THE TOWN CLERK REGARDING STAFFING

    The Town Clerk informed Members that the Assistant Clerk had passed her 6-month probationary review.

    It was reported that the two vacancies had been advertised during June 2025 and an appointment had been made to the role of Administrator and Personal Assistant. The role of Responsible Financial Officer would be re-advertised and the current Treasurer would remain in post until further notice. 

  17. ANY OTHER BUSINESS

    There was no other business.

Town Mayor

The meeting closed at 19.13