Richard Stevens

I have to say that I actually enjoyed last night’s Town Council meeting! And I haven’t said that for a long time. The fact that we all knew that there was wine and a buffet awaiting us at the end of the proceedings may have been a factor in everyone adopting a more friendly and business like approach to the serious business!

Amongst the important issues that were discussed were the following:

• A local resident raised the question of the new car park off Christchurch Way. We agreed to write to Stafford Borough Council to complain at the destruction of the hedge alongside the footpath; to demand it’s reinstatement and to complain about the soil and mud being washed down the footpath at the bottom end of the car park.
• The Town Clerk reported that the Council had been granted an unqualified audit for the year ending 31 March 2007
• Cllr. Mark Green reported that he had undertaken a survey and recorded over 160 vehicles in an hour and a half ‘rat running’ along Stafford Road. It was resolved that the Highways Department be informed that the Town Council fully supports their suggestion of possibly blocking off the end of Stafford Road.
• It was agreed that a specialist consultant be instructed to provide a report on suitable wild flower planting on Crown Meadow.
• We agreed to arrange a meeting with St. Michaels’s Church, Stafford Borough and the County Council with a view to repairing or replacing the floodlighting in the churchyard. Sadly there have been several acts of vandalism recently and thieves were interrupted whilst attempting to steal lead from the roof. It was agreed that floodlighting would act as a deterrent.

Business was concluded and we all then enjoyed a particularly good buffet and glasses of wine provided by the Mayor. So the year ended on a much more conciliatory tone.