Wednesday 4th November 2026
Dear Councillor,
You are summoned to attend the Full Council meeting at 7pm, Tuesday 10th November 2026 at Stockton Heath Library, Alexandra Road, Stockton Heath WA4 2AN.
With thanks,
B. Minshall
Benn Minshall, Clerk and Responsible Financial Officer.
AGENDA
1. To receive and consider apologies for absence.
2. To note declarations of interest.
3. To approve and sign the minutes of the Full Council meeting held on Tuesday 13th October 2026.
4. Public Participation
A period not exceeding 30 minutes for Members of the Public to ask questions or submit comments. Speeches will last for 3 minutes, unless otherwise directed by the Chair.
5. To receive a report from Cheshire Police.
6. To receive an update from Stockton Heath Festival Committee
7. To receive an update relating to the budget setting process for 2027-28.
8. To consider the following governance documents: –
NONE
9. To receive updates and consider recommendations from Committees and Working Groups: –
a. Planning, Finance and General Purposes Committee
Chair: Cllr. Chris Jones Vice Chair: Cllr. Helen Dutton
There are no considerations – minutes to be taken as read.
b. Land Assets Committee
Chair: Cllr Dutton Vice Chair: Cllr Dean
The date of the next Committee meeting is Tuesday 19th January 2026.
c. Village Committee
Chair: Cllr D. Taylor Vice Chair: VACANT
The date of the next Committee meeting is Tuesday 16th February 2027.
d. Employment Committee
Chair: Cllr Gillibrand Vice Chair: Cllr D. Taylor
The Committee held a meeting after this agenda was issued – the minutes of that meeting will be made available at the December meeting of Full Council.
e. Christmas Working Group
Members: Cllrs Gillibrand, Jordan and D. Taylor
• To consider a call for volunteers before, during and after the event.
10. To receive updates in relation to Sandy Lane Recycling Centre, Stockton Heath Library, the Southeast Warrington Urban Expansion and the Local Plan.
11. To consider the following Member Items: –
a. To consider matter relating to the Council’s Committee System – Cllr Gillibrand
b. To consider matters relating to the Council’s Air Quality Monitor – Cllr Walker
12. To receive reports from Members who have attended external meetings.
13. To agree items for the next agenda, publication and media.
14. It is recommended that Council considers a resolution under Section 1 of the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960 to exclude the public and representatives of the press from the meeting during the consideration of Item 15 and 16 on the grounds that matters contain sensitive information and by reason of the confidential nature of the business being transacted.
15. To consider matters relating to the Deed of Grant concerning Ackers Pit.
16. To consider matter relating to staffing on Remembrance Sunday.
17. To note the date and time of the next Full Council meeting as being held at 7pm, Tuesday 8th December 2026 at Stockton Heath Library – please note this will be a meeting devoted to the budget setting process for 2027/28.
AGENDA ITEM 3
In attendance: Cllrs Dean, Dutton, Gillibrand, Harris, Jordan, D. Taylor, S. Taylor, Todd, Walker and Wheeler.
MINUTES OF THE FULL COUNCIL MEETING HELD ON TUESDAY 13TH OCTOBER 2026
1. To receive and consider apologies for absence.
Apologies were received from Cllrs Barlow and Murphy.
2. To note declarations of interest.
There were no declarations of interest.
3. To approve and sign the minutes of the Full Council meeting held on Tuesday 8th September 2026.
Resolved: To sign the minutes as a true and accurate record.
4. Public Participation
The Clerk reported on two residents having contacted the Parish Council by email concerning a recent road traffic accident at the junction of London Road-Orchard Street. A lady was struck by a vehicle, and although the driver did stop and provide their details, this junction is an ongoing concern among residents and it was asked what, if anything, can be done to help. The Parish Council will work with the relevant partner Agencies to address causes for concern and potential solutions.
5. To receive a report from Cheshire Police.
PC Kayleigh Burns, Cheshire Constabulary, provided the meeting with an update in relation to both ongoing changes within the Local Policing Team as well as recent incidents. The incidents were reported as follows: –
• 6x reports of theft – four in Sainsbury’s; two in Aldi.
• 1x report on motor vehicle – £100 sunglasses were taken from Ellesmere Road.
• 1x report of criminal damage on Mill Lane whereby a front door was damaged.
• 1x burglary – a garage break-in.
• 3x reports on antisocial behaviour.
The date for the upcoming Police Surgery is Monday 19th October 2026 at Stockton Heath Police Station.
Prior Issues raised by Councillors were as follows: –
• Drug dealing at Ackers Pit – the location is on the Patrol Plan for regular visits.
• Speeding on London Road – there is a requirement to catch offenders in action.
6. To receive an update from Broomfields Youth Project (Previously Agenda Item 9).
John Harper, Broomfields Youth Partnership, provided the meeting with an update in relation to youth engagement work over recent months. It was explained that football is proving quote popular recently – both among those wishing to play; and those wishing to be supportive of their friends and others playing. It was stressed there is a pattern of behavioural changes among young people, which is believed to be reflective of the changes within the Local Policing Team, and unfamiliarity in terms of relationships between Officers and young people. BYP has been asked by a Warrington School to deliver a programme called ‘Upbeat’, a music-based intervention teaching learning opportunities to deliver messages of positive reinforcement to those young people who engage and are believed to be more at risk.
A question was asked regarding attendance numbers – it was stated that numbers are holding steady across all detached work. It is believed to be a ratio of 3 girls:1 boy which is leading to some instances of male posturing.
7. To receive an update relating to the budget setting process for 2027-28.
The meeting considered a draft budget proposal for the financial year 2027-28. It was noted this is a work in progress and will continue to be until a decision can be reached during the December meeting of Full Council. In addition, both Land Assets and Village Committees will arrange to hold additional meetings to provide input on the budget where it concerns the aims and objectives of those Committees.
8. To consider the following governance documents: –
a. Safeguarding Policy
Resolved: To adopt the Safeguarding Policy, subject to an amendment that the requirement to lodge a report within 30 minutes be changed to “immediately”.
b. Reserves Policy
Resolved: To adopt the Reserves Policy.
9. To receive updates and consider recommendations from Committees and Working Groups: –
a. Planning, Finance and General Purposes Committee
Chair: Cllr. Chris Jones Vice Chair: Cllr. Helen Dutton
None – the minutes are to be taken as read.
b. Land Assets Committee
Chair: Cllr Dutton Vice Chair: Cllr Dean
None – the minutes of the October Committee meeting, having been made available with the agenda, contained no considerations for Full Council and are to be taken as read.
c. Village Committee
Chair: Cllr D. Taylor Vice Chair: VACANT
None – the minutes are to be taken as read.
d. Employment Committee
Chair: Cllr Gillibrand Vice Chair: Cllr D. Taylor
None – the Committee last met on Wednesday 22nd July 2026.
e. Christmas Working Group
Members: Cllr Gillibrand Jordan and D. Taylor
The meeting noted the updates provided further down.
10. To receive updates in relation to Sandy Lane Recycling Centre, Stockton Heath Library, the Southeast Warrington Urban Expansion and any other WBC issues.
a. Sandy Lane Recycling Centre
No update was available at the time of the meeting.
b. Stockton Heath Library
No update was available at the time of the meeting.
c. Southeast Warrington Urban Expansion
A new Strategic Framework has been developed which will be going before a meeting of the Warrington Borough Council Cabinet as part of a Master Plan for the project.
11. To consider the following Member Items: –
a. To consider matter relating to the Council’s Committee System – Cllr Gillibrand
There was a proposal to formalise the budgeting and spending arrangements between Full Council and Committees – the proposal is to ensure that a Committee has delegation for its own budget; where there is then unforeseen or unbudgeted expenditure, that is then reflected either by emergency delegation to Officers through the Council’s Policies, or by way of a resolution to PFGP Committee to identify a budget; that would then subsequently be a recommendation to Full Council.
Resolved: To formalise this as being the Council’s operating practice in terms of its Committee System.
b. To consider matters relating to the Council’s Air Quality Monitor – Cllr Walker
Cllr Walker provided the meeting with an update in relation to the Air Quality Monitor and the associated costs. A question was asked whether the costs represent value for money, and a further question concerning how the date is then utilised – it was said the initial purchase of the Monitor was to inform the Parish Council’s response to the Local Plan; and the Council should continue to maintain the Monitor as a way to inform potential responses to wider existing or potential Policies, Strategies and developing societal trends.
c. To consider matters relating to Remembrance Sunday – Cllr Wheeler
Cllr Wheeler highlighted the next meeting of Full Council falls after Remembrance Sunday, and in consideration of the arrangements in previous years, a reminder the Parish Council has funded the road closures for the event; which have neither been requested nor discussed for this year. There was a proposal that the Clerk write to the Church with an inquiry as to the arrangements.
Resolved: To ask the Clerk to write to the Church.
12. To receive reports from Members who have attended external meetings.
Cllr Harris provided an update on a meeting attended involving David Wilson Homes. It was noted the primary concern is for highways issues should a planning application be forthcoming.
13. To agree items for the next agenda, publication and media.
Items for the next agenda include: –
An invitation to members of the Stockton Heath Festival Committee; the draft budget for 2027-28; a Member Item concerning Committee System; the potential for holding local Markets; updated information concerning the Air Quality Monitor; and a further update from Christmas Working Group Update
Items for publication and media include: – NONE.
14. To note the date and time of the next Full Council meeting as being held at 7pm, Tuesday 10th November 2026 at Stockton Heath Library.
Noted
Chair: Cllr. J. Wheeler
Clerk: B. Minshall
Close of Meeting: 20:55pm
Signed………………………………….
AGENDA ITEM 7
Cost Centre 2026 – 2027 2027 – 2028 2028 – 2029 2029 – 2030
Administration
Payroll £84,000.00 £95,000.00 £99,000.00 £103,000.00
Accommodation £3,720.00 £4,000.00 £4,200.00 £4,500.00
Audit and Insurance £0.00 £500.00 £530.00 £600.00
Bank Charges £0.00 £300.00 £320.00 £335.00
Chair’s Allowance £0.00 £0.00 £0.00 £0.00
Expenses £0.00
Legal and Consultancy £0.00 £2,000.00 £2,000.00 £2,000.00
Microsoft Office 365 £0.00
PAT Testing £0.00
Printing £87.70 £100.00 £105.00 £115.00
Subscriptions £0.00 £5,000.00 £5,250.00 £5,515.00
Telephone and Internet £0.00
Training £0.00 £8,000.00 £8,000.00 £8,000.00
PFGP Committee
Grants £9,000.00 £9,000.00 £9,000.00 £9,000.00
Land Assets
Ackers Pit Water Easement £175.00 £175.00 £175.00 £175.00
Asset Maintenance £1,800.00 £2,000.00 £2,100.00 £2,300.00
Ellesmere Road Seat Ease-ment £15.00 £15.00 £15.00 £15.00
Emergency Works £1,500.00 £1,600.00 £1,700.00 £1,800.00
Grounds Maintenance £7,000.00
New Assets £1,000.00 £0.00 £0.00 £0.00
Parish Rangers £4,750.00 £5,000.00 £5,300.00 £5,800.00
Tree Management Plan £5,000.00 £5,300.00 £5,600.00 £5,800.00
War Memorial £0.00 £0.00 £0.00 £0.00
Village Committee
Air Quality Monitor £0.00 £0.00 £0.00 £0.00
Blisterpack Initiative £500.00 £500.00 £530.00 £560.00
Events £10,950.00 £11,000.00 £11,600.00 £12,200.00
Floral Planting Schemes £5,850.00 £6,000.00 £6,300.00 £6,700.00
£180,347.70 £155,490.00 £161,725.00 £168,415.00
Earmarked Reserves
Elections £20,000.00
Total £20,000.00
Total 175,490.00
AGENDA ITEM 9
In attendance: Cllrs Dutton, Jones (Chair), North (arrived 19.33) Todd, Wheeler
Theresa Whitfield (Deputy Clerk)
MINUTES OF THE PLANNING, FINANCE AND GENERAL PURPOSES COMMITTEE
HELD ON TUESDAY 27 OCTOBER 2026
1. To receive and consider apologies for absence.
Cllr. Murphy
2. To note declarations of interest.
None.
3. To approve and sign the minutes of the Planning, Finance and General Purposes Committee meeting held on Tuesday 22 September 2026.
Resolved: To sign the minutes as a true and accurate record.
4. Public Participation
There were no Members of the Public in attendance.
5. To consider and approve payments to the value of £17,418.91 as per the attached report.
Resolved: To approve the spending of £17,418.91 as per the attached report.
Resolved: To provide copies of all invoices with the payment schedule for all committee members awareness.
Resolved: To confirm the payments in dispute position at the next PFGP.
6. To note the Bank Reconciliation on 30 September 2026.
Noted.
7. To consider the draft budget proposal for the financial year 2027-28.
Resolved: To defer the item until committees have met and outcome of discussions with Warrington Anglers is determined.
8. To consider existing contracts for grounds maintenance services.
Resolved: Proposal to reject the report in full was unanimously agreed. Rationale was due to ongoing discussions with WAA and implications.
Resolved: Clerk authorised to progress with invitation to quote for a village planting contract
9. To consider options for relocating the secure storage from Sandy Lane Community Centre.
Resolved: Deferred, it was agreed at PFGP in September to defer to November.
10. To consider the re-establishment of the Stockton Heath Retail Forum
Resolved: It was agreed at PFGP in September to defer the report to November meeting to allow the Clerk to present.
11. To consider the following Planning Applications: –
Application No: 2026//01314/FULH
Location: 9 Rosemary Avenue, Stockton Heath, Warrington, WA4 2XA
Proposal: First floor extension to side
https://online.warrington.gov.uk/planning/index.html?fa=getApplication&id=216569
Resolved: No comment
Application No: 2026/01359/TPO
Location: 83 Whitefield Road, Warrington, WA4 6NB
Proposal: Remedial works to 1 No. Tree
https://online.warrington.gov.uk/planning/index.html?fa=getApplication&id=216602
Resolved: No comment
12. To note Planning Applications having been decided by WBC.
Application No: 2026/01218/CLDP
Location: 84 Grappenhall Road, Stockton Heath, Warrington, WA4 2AX
Proposal: Proposed Outbuilding
Decision: Granted
Application No: 2026/01184/TPOCA
Location: 7 Grappenhall Road, Stockton Heath, Warrington, WA4 2AH
Proposal: Remedial works to 2 no. Trees and hedge
Decision: Granted
13. To consider the following Member Items: –
None
14. To agree items for the next agenda, publication and media.
Items for publication / media include: None
Items for next agenda:
Budget progress
Business Forum
Sandy Lane – storage options
National Scheme of Delegation (Planning)
Remembrance Sunday Payments
15. To note the date and time of the next Planning, Finance and General Purposes Committee meeting as being held at 7pm, Tuesday 24 November 2026 at Stockton Heath Library.
Noted
Chair: Cllr. Jones
Deputy Clerk: T. Whitfield
Close of Meeting: 19:59
Signed………………………………….
AGENDA ITEM 12
a. To consider matters relating to the Council’s Committee System
Terms of Reference & Scheme of Delegation: Full Council
Function Full Council Committee / Subcommittee Delegations Officer Delega-tions (Clerk / Dep-uty Clerk)
Governance Approve, amend, or revoke Policies.
Finance & Gov-ernance Com-mittee: Review policies according to the rolling re-view programme and recommend amendments to Full Council.
Clerk: Advise on legal compliance; maintain policy rec-ords.
Budget & Pre-cept Set the annual budget and deter-mine capital ex-penditure.
Finance & Gov-ernance Com-mittee: Prepare draft budget pro-posals and review financial man-agement ac-counts for Full Council approval.
Clerk: Draft initial budget estimates; issue the precept demand to Warring-ton Borough Coun-cil; monitor spend against virements.
Financial Governance & Audit Approve Annual Governance and Ac-countability Return (AGAR), inter-nal/external audit re-ports, and statutory accounts.
Finance & Gov-ernance Com-mittee: Oversee internal audit con-trols, risk register review, and finan-cial compliance.
Clerk: Act as statu-tory RFO; submit returns; manage day-to-day ac-counts.
Borrowing & Investments Approve borrowing, issuing loans, and investment strate-gies.
Finance & Gov-ernance Com-mittee: Review investment pro-posals and finan-cial risks; make recommenda-tions.
Clerk: Execute fi-nancial transfers and investments.
Elections & Co-options Co-option of Mem-bers to casual va-cancies; agree re-sponses to boundary reviews across the Stockton Heath / Warrington bounda-ry.
— Clerk: Administer casual vacancy no-tices in coordination with Warrington Borough Council.
Code of Con-duct & Civility Pledge Adoption of Council-lor Code of Conduct, Officer Code of Conduct, and com-mitment to the Civili-ty & Respect Pledge.
Finance & Gov-ernance Com-mittee: Oversee compliance and review govern-ance policies.
Clerk: Maintain Register of Inter-ests; log standards matters.
Staffing & Employment Determine total staff-ing establishment, salary grades, and major restructures.
Finance & Gov-ernance Com-mittee: Review staffing budget al-locations.
Employment Subcommittee: Oversee apprais-al, disciplinary, and grievance processes; rec-ommend pay pro-gression for Clerk, Deputy Clerk, and Rang-ers.
Clerk: Oversee day-to-day man-agement of staff.
Planning & Consultations Consider major de-velopment plans af-fecting the parish boundary.
Planning & Envi-ronment Com-mittee: Respond on behalf of the Council to plan-ning applications and local devel-opment consulta-tions from War-rington Borough Council.
Clerk: Exercise delegated powers for minor/time-sensitive planning consultations as set out in committee TOR.
Parish Land, Physical As-sets & Envi-ronment Approve major envi-ronmental schemes, land acquisi-tions/disposals, or formal land leases.
Planning & Envi-ronment Com-mittee:
• Direct manage-ment, biodiversity, tree inspections, and operational projects for parish lands and physi-cal assets, includ-ing Ackers Pit, Queen Elizabeth II Community Field (Mill Lane Field), and Red Lane Allotments (liaising with Stockton Heath Allotment Associ-ation).
• Oversee all par-ish planting schemes, sea-sonal floral dis-plays, planters, hanging bas-kets, and street scene matters.
• Oversee opera-tional tasks and work priorities for the 2x Parish Rangers.
Deputy Clerk:
Direct day-to-day workload, mainte-nance schedules, watering regimes, and emergen-cy/remedial works for Ackers Pit, Mill Lane Field, Red Lane Allotments, planting schemes, and physical assets carried out by the Parish Rangers.
Community Grants & Partnerships Authorize strategic Grant Schemes and overarching partner-ship agreements.
Community & Events Commit-tee:
• Oversee grant applications and financial distribu-tion mechanisms; coordinate part-nerships with lo-cal groups (e.g., Warrington Vol-untary Action) and issue small community grants.
• Lead communi-ty-facing floral competitions (e.g., Stockton Heath in Bloom) and community greening initia-tives.
Deputy Clerk: Ad-minister grant ap-plications.
Clerk: Process ap-proved payments.
Events & Community Projects Authorize events re-quiring significant council reserves or land liabilities.
Community & Events Commit-tee: Plan, exe-cute, and evaluate parish events, civ-ic activities, and local community initiatives.
Deputy Clerk: Ex-ecute operational logistics, health & safety risk assess-ments, and event permissions.
Freedom of In-formation & Data Protec-tion Approve major In-formation Security Policies; handle statutory ICO ap-peals.
Finance & Gov-ernance Com-mittee: Review Data Protection compliance and ICO Model Publi-cation Scheme adherence.
Clerk: Act as Data Protection Of-ficer/Lead; handle routine FOI and Da-ta Subject Access Requests (DSARs).
Emergency Decisions Ratify emergency decisions taken out-side regular meeting cycles.
— Clerk: In consulta-tion with the Chair/Vice-Chair of Council, exercise emergency spend-ing/action up to £1,000 (or as speci-fied in Financial Regulations).
This Terms of Reference and Scheme of Delegation shall be reviewed annually by the Fi-nance & Governance Committee and approved by Full Council at its Annual Council Meeting (ACM) in May.