MINUTES – NOVEMBER 2025

Minutes of the meeting of the Parish Council of Waterhouses.

Meeting held on Thursday, November 20th 2025 at 7.30pm in the sports pavilion, Waterhouses.

Present: Cllr McCarthy; Cllr Goldstraw; Cllr Harvey; Cllr Powley; Cllr Simpson; Cllr Turner;

Also present: Mr C Hinton, (Clerk); one member of the public;

Apologies: Cllr Carr; Cllr Stone; Cllr Wain;

Minutes of the last meeting:
• The minutes of the meeting held on Thursday, October 16th 2025 were confirmed as being a true and accurate record and were duly endorsed by the Chairman.
Proposed: Cllr Turner; Seconded: Cllr Harvey;

The chairman welcomed the member of the public, who was attending in order to learn more about the business of the parish council.

Matters arising:

Clerk’s report:
• The clerk advised that he had sent emails to the Flood Risk Team twice since the last meeting, seeking an update following their recent survey work in the parish. The clerk had expressed the sincere hope that a progress report would be available in time for the meeting in December.
• The Local Neighbourhood Officer from Staffordshire Police had held a Drop-In Surgery in the pavilion on November 13th. This event will be repeated on Wednesday, November 26th. Residents were invited to come and meet the officer in order to discuss any matters in which they can support them.
The clerk had discussed with the officer, the on-going need for deterrents that would reduce speeding in the village. The officer is seeking the introduction of a mobile camera van.
• The clerk had recently supplied details requested by the Adam Smith Institute Research Group under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
• Staffs Moorlands District Council have requested our help in their work in preparing a case study, featuring our new play area, as part of their ‘final program evaluation’ for them to share with UK Government. The clerk will respond to their requests by November 30th.

Holcim Update:
• Representatives of the council had recently attended a meeting with the management team at the cement works. The aim of the meeting primarily, was to seek improvements in the quality of communications, which the council felt had lapsed over recent months. The council was introduced to the new Environment and Communities Manager, who will become the first point of contact for any enquiries which arise.
• The next liaison meeting is scheduled for December 11th. The council will be represented as usual.
• Peak Cluster, (carbon capture project), had sent an update sharing its latest information.
Pavilion:
• The cause of the water leak affecting the pavilion appears to have been caused by a combination of intermittent leakages within two cisterns. These have been repaired and the rate of water loss now appears to be normal. A claim will be made to seek a credit for abnormal charges.

Sports Fields;
• The totally unacceptable problem of dog fouling on the Sports Field has been raised with SMDC’s dog warden. He has carried out a leaflet drop to nearby houses and erected a number of signs on the site. He has also promised to visit the area as often as possible. He will check the local bylaws to advise what we can legally do to combat the problem. The council has added notices to its website.

Playing Fields;
• The extra matting and the new picnic table will now be installed in the spring of 2026.
Allotments;
• A review of the condition of all of the plots had taken place and notices are to be sent to the tenants of neglected plots, advising them of the non-renewal of their agreements for 2026. People on the waiting list will be invited to take up plots in the New Year.

Correspondence Recently Received;
The following items were shared with the council and discussed as appropriate:
• Letter from resident re: flags in Waterfall Lane
• Letter from PLMR re: Proposed Solar Development in Upper Cotton;
• SPCA re: future membership fees;
• SPCA re: Conference – November 24th
• SMDC re: Parish Assembly – November 24th
• SMDC re: Consultation re Council Tax Reduction Scheme – ends December 5th
• PDNP re: Consultation re Local Plan – ends December 21st
• SCC re: Mobile Connectivity
• SCC re: Free Trees
• Support Staffordshire re: Local Help My Way
• Stoke On Trent City Council re: Local Government Reorganisation
• Staffordshire Police re: Drop-In Surgery – November 26th

Planning Matters;
The council received a status report of decisions recently made by the planning authorities.
There were no new applications to consider at this meeting.

Financial Matters:
• The latest bank balance and a cash-flow forecast were shared.
• Budgets and the precept for 2026 would be considered in January.
• The following cheques were then requested:
• Clerk; for his work & expenses in October; £561.92
• Caretaker; for his work & expenses in October; £95.00
• Lengthsman; for his work and expenses in October & November; £618.93
• JW Howson; for materials supplied; £33.72
• Dave Rhodes; for the work on pitches and line-marking paint; £996.00
• HMRC; for payment of PAYE for clerk’s salary; £126.10
Payment of the above was approved en bloc; Proposed: Cllr Goldstraw; Seconded: Cllr Turner

Highway Matters:
• The clerk will be revisiting every area at issue, and re-reporting them where these are unresolved;
• Cllr Goldstraw had reported that a warning sign had blown over again on the A523;
• Cllr Simpson had reported issues with Church Bank;
• Cllr Harvey had reported that a fallen tree had since been removed from the Manifold cycle track;
• Cllr Harvey had reported issues with Whitfield Lane;
• Cllr Harvey shared of a resident’s concern re the lack of street lighting near to Waterfall Village Hall;
• Cllr Turner had reported that Back Lane in Calton had flooded again;
• Cllr Turner had provided further information regarding to the bridge to the Old Quarry;

Any other business:
• The clerk mentioned the ongoing concerns about the poor communications with AEdonate in relation to the maintenance of defibrillators within the parish. They are due to give a presentation at the upcoming parish assembly which will be attended by the Cllr Stone and the clerk.
• The clerk will also attend a Conference being hosted by the SPCA in Uttoxeter, on November 24th

Date of next meeting: Thursday, December 18th 2025 at 7.30 pm