Annual Parish Meeting

Agenda

 

1. Welcome by the Parish Council Chairman – Cllr Julie Broad.

 

2. Apologies.

To receive apologies for absence.

 

3. Minutes of the last meeting.

To approve the minutes of the meeting held on Wednesday 8^th May 2025.

 

4. Devon & Cornwall Police report – PCSO Laura Putt

 

5. Cornwall Council Report – Cllr Elaine Kist and Cllr Steve Trevelyan.

 

6. Parish Council Report – Cllr Julie Broad

 

7. Committee reports.

• Events & Comms – Cllr Julie Broad
• Finance & Policy Committee – Cllr David Coles
• Human Resources Committee – Cllr Keith Truscott
• Planning & Licencing Committee – Cllr David Simpson
• Property & Services Committee – Cllr Keith Truscott

 

8. Questions/Recommendations.

Questions and/or recommendations from electors of the Parish can be asked in person during the meeting or submitted in writing to the Clerk by noon on Wednesday 22^nd April 2026.

 

9. History of the Parish and Surrounding China Clay Area

A presentation from Valerie Jacob – Cornish Bard on the history of the parish and surrounding area

 

10. Summary and closing remarks – Cllr Julie Broad

 

Light Refreshments

 

Light refreshments will be available after the meeting.

If you are attending and have dietary requirements, please contact the parish council office.

Minutes of the Annual Parish Meeting held at the Brannel Room, St Stephen

on Wednesday 22^nd April 2026 starting at 6.30pm.

 

Present:

Cllr Mike Berryman, Cllr Julie Broad (Chairman), Cllr David Coles (Vice Chairman), Cllr Debby Hussey, Cllr Tina Patterson, Cllr Marian Seton, Cllr Nigel Spragg, and Cllr Keith Truscott.

Linda Ranger – Clerk & RFO, Ruth Mills – Deputy Clerk, Mel Best – Admin Assistant, Cornwall Cllr Elaine Kist, PCSO Laura Putt and seven members of the public.

 

1. Welcome by the Parish Council Chairman – Cllr Julie Broad:

Cllr Julie Broad welcomed everyone to the meeting and thanked them for coming along to the Annual Parish Meeting.

 

2. Apologies:

Cllr Anne Hartshorne, Cllr Steve Oakley & Cllr Shelagh Tasker.

 

3. Minutes of the previous meeting:

It was

RESOLVED that the minutes of the meeting held on Thursday 8^th May 2025 be adopted and signed as a true and accurate record.

Cllr Julie Broad duly signed the minutes.

 

4. Police Report

PSCO Laura Putt gave the following report.

 

“At the end of the 2025 financial year the St Austell and St Blazey Neighbourhood Team currently comprises of 1 Police Sergeant (PS) known as a Neighbourhood Team Leader (NTL), 7 Police Officers known as Neighbourhood Beat Managers (NBM), 7 Police Community Support Officers (PCSO) and 2 Tri-Service Safety Officers (TSSO).

The Neighbourhood Inspector responsible for the St Austell area is currently Inspector Matt Trevivian.

The Neighbourhood Team Leader (NTL) is PS Martin Easter.

PC Steph Tann, PC Danielle Moore Dunstan, PC Yasmin Vokes, PCSO Alison Relf, PCSO Laura Putt and PCSO Steve Tibbles are the neighbourhood officers responsible for the parishes outside of St Austell. They are assisted by TSSO Lewis Rosewell currently operating from St Dennis Fire Station.

The team also works closely with Cornwall Council Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) case worker Annabelle Lamy plus the ASB and housing teams working for the various social housing associations with housing stock in the area to deal with ASB and low-level crime.

There have been several changes to the neighbourhood team over the past 12 months. 3 PCSO’s, including Laura Putt, joined the team in April 2025 and were successful in achieving independent status following a period of tutorship.

They have continued to develop their skills and knowledge in neighbourhood policing and establishing good working relationships with residents and community stakeholders.

PC Chris Wallbank, PC Ben Jones and PC Jamie Martin joined the team in March and April 2026 as NBM’s for St Austell town and St Blazey respectively.

They also assist in delivering neighbourhood policing outside of St Austell and St Blazey.

An additional NTL will be joining the team in May 2026.

 

Neighbourhood Team activities

We continue to address and manage ASB, and crime related to ASB in the community.

We recognise ongoing community concerns in regarding nuisance vehicles both on and off the road We have completed operations targeting nuisance riders in the Clay Villages and have seized a number of illegal motorcycles, electric pedal cycles and e scooters. We have also issued Section 59 warnings to drivers and riders who have been identified as driving or riding vehicles in an anti-social manner.

 

St Stephen crime information from April 2025 to March 2026

A total of 371 crimes were reported during this period broken down as below;

 

Type	Number
Assault offences	118
Stalking and harassment	83
Criminal damage	60
Public order offences	28
Sexual offences	30
Miscellaneous theft offences	22
Miscellaneous crimes against the state	18
Vehicle offences	9
Burglary offences	6
Possession of offensive weapons offences	4
Theft of pedal cycle	3
Possession of drug offences	2
Supply / trafficking drug offences	2
Shoplifting offences	2

 

There has been an increase in the number of harassment offences recorded due to how such offences are now recorded, especially regarding reported neighbour disputes. These may have been previously recorded as incidents of ASB. If information is reported where an individual allegedly engages in a course of conduct (more than one occasion) and that conduct allegedly causes alarm or distress, it is now recorded as a criminal offence of harassment.”

 

PCOS Laura Putt took questions. She was thanked for her report.

 

PCSO Laura Putt left the meeting.

 

5. Cornwall Council Report – Cllr Elaine Kist and Cllr Steve Trevelyan.

Cornwall Councillor Elanie Kist was present but didn’t provide a report.

Cornwall Councillor Steve Trevelyan was not present and had not provided a report.

6. Parish Council Report – Cllr Julie Broad

“Over the past year, St Stephen in Brannel Parish Council has continued to work hard on behalf of our parish by delivering local services, maintaining council assets, supporting community

organisations, and representing residents on a wide range of local issues.

 

It has been another busy year. We have continued to strengthen our governance, review policies, monitor our finances carefully, and progress important projects for the future of the parish. A major focus has been on setting a sustainable budget, protecting services, improving accessibility and communication, and moving forward with longer-term plans, including asset transfer and the proposal to replace the ageing Brannel Room building with a bespoke community hub.

 

We have also continued to promote biodiversity, respond to planning matters, support local organisations, and improve the way we engage with residents. The launch of the new council website and the refreshed Meet & Greet events have both helped us stay better connected with our communities and made it easier for residents to find information and speak with us directly.

 

There have also been some changes to council membership during the year. We received the resignations of Cllr James Kent and Cllr Anne Barnes, and in January we were pleased to welcome Steve Oakley and Marion Seton to the Council through co-option. We currently have three vacancies, and I would encourage anyone who is interested in serving the community to contact the parish council office.

 

Sadly, earlier this month, we lost our dear friend and colleague, Cllr David Simpson. Dave gave so much of his time, energy and commitment to this parish and served the community with real dedication. He was a valued member of this Council, and his loss will be deeply felt by councillors, staff, and residents alike. On behalf of the Council, I would like to place on record our sincere gratitude for all he did for the parish, and to send our heartfelt condolences to his family and friends.

 

I would like to thank all councillors, staff, community groups and partner organisations for their hard work and support over the past year. I would also like to thank our residents for their continued interest, encouragement, and involvement in the work of the Parish Council.

 

We remain committed to serving the parish to the absolute best of our ability and to building positively on the work of the past year. Thank you.”

 

7. Committee Reports:

Events & Communications Committee – Cllr Julie Broad

“Since its creation, the Events & Communications Committee has focused on improving how the Parish Council engages and communicates with residents, while also developing community events across the parish.

 

One of the committee’s main achievements was supporting the Parish Council’s first Remembrance Day Parade in November 2025, which was a notable success despite poor weather. The event was attended by hundreds of residents, local school pupils, veterans and serving personnel, and the wreath-laying ceremony at Nanpean War Memorial was especially well received. Planning has already begun for this year’s remembrance events, with the hope of including a band to lead the parade.

We have also supported several other initiatives, including St Piran’s Day, continued Councillor Meet & Greet sessions in different villages, and preparations for a market event and the Chairman’s Community Event, which will include the Brannel Good Citizen Awards in September 2026.

In terms of communications, I am pleased that the Council’s first electronic newsletter has now been issued, and work has continued on the new website. The committee has also recommended that the Parish Council consider taking on the much-loved community newsletter to help ensure important information reaches all residents.

We have also continued to explore ways of encouraging local involvement in democracy, including work with schools on Democracy Days and early discussions about relaunching a Youth Council.

Overall, the committee has had a productive year, balancing the delivery of successful public events with the development of new ways to communicate and engage with residents across the parish. I would like to thank fellow committee members and council staff for their support and hard work during the year.”

 

Finance & Policy Committee – Cllr David Coles

“Over the past year, the Finance & Policy Committee has continued to oversee the Council’s finances, internal controls, grant funding and policy development, helping to make sure the Council remains well run, financially secure and able to deliver services for residents across the parish.

During the year, the Committee reviewed expenditure, quarterly accounts, GDPR and internal control reports, and continued to support local organisations through grant funding and community benefit funding. We also considered key governance matters such as financial regulations, reserves, insurance and policy updates.

A major piece of work this year was the budget for 2026/27. The Parish Council continues to provide a wide range of important local services and assets, including air quality monitoring, allotments, bus shelters, CCTV, free car parks, cemetery services and churchyard maintenance, commercial buildings, defibrillators, public toilets, the Brannel Room, footpaths, highway verges, grit bins, street lighting, speed indication devices, seating, litter bins and local grant funding. The Council is also investing in community projects, including work with schools, taking on new assets from Cornwall Council, progressing the new community hub project and continuing to seek additional cemetery land. These services and priorities are consistent with the Council’s broader assets, services and strategic responsibilities.

To chieve all this, the precept for 2026/27 was set at £517,190. For a Band B property, this means an increase of £25.24 a year, which is about £2.10 a month or 49 pence a week for the parish council’s share of the council tax bill.

While no increase is ever taken lightly, the Committee worked hard to set a budget that is fair and sustainable, protects local services and allows the Council to continue investing in the community despite rising costs.

Finally, I would like to thank all members of the Committee, the Clerk and staff for their hard work and support throughout the year.”

 

Human Resources Committee – Cllr Keith Truscott

“Over the last year, the Human Resources Committee has continued to oversee staffing, staff welfare, training, employment policies, recruitment, and health and safety on behalf of the Parish Council.

A key focus this year has been ensuring that we have adequate staffing levels to support both current and future service delivery. In 2025, we welcomed Brendan to the operations team, and Natasha, who took on a new role to support events, communications, and ad hoc projects. In 2026, we welcomed Lara, who is covering Natasha’s role during her maternity leave, and next month Matt will be joining the operations team, which will mean that all roles are fully staffed.

Another important area of work has been the review of employment policies. During the year, the Committee recommended a wide range of updated policies to Full Council, helping to ensure that the Parish Council remains a fair, supportive, and legally compliant employer.

In relation to health and safety, the Committee received reports and periodic checks, appointed a Health & Safety Audit Panel, and noted that overall procedures were being adhered to, with no further action required at the time of reporting. This ongoing oversight is an important part of protecting staff, councillors, residents, and the wider public.

Overall, I believe the Committee has worked hard to support staff, strengthen governance, and ensure that the Parish Council remains a fair, responsible, and well-managed employer.

On behalf of the Committee, I would like to thank the Clerk and staff team for their professionalism and commitment throughout the year. I would also like to thank members of the Human Resources Committee for their time, care, and diligence in dealing with often complex and sensitive matters.

Finally, I would like to offer our congratulations to Deputy Clerk Ruth on successfully passing her CiLCA qualification. This is a significant achievement and reflects her hard work and dedication. I would like to ask the Chairman, Julie Broad, to present Ruth with flowers on behalf of the Parish Council in recognition of this accomplishment. Thank You.” 

Planning & Licencing Committee – Cllr Nigel Spragg

“At the first meeting of the municipal year in May 2025, the Planning & Licencing Committee appointed Cllr David Simpson as Chairman and myself as Vice Chairman for 2025/26. From the outset, the Committee continued its important role of considering planning and licensing matters affecting the parish and ensuring that local views were properly represented.

Over the course of the year, the Committee considered a substantial number of planning applications, pre-application proposals, planning protocol matters, consultations, appeals, highways issues and planning decisions, together with planning applications determined at Full Council meetings. These ranged from household extensions and tree works, to self-build properties, affordable housing proposals, renewable energy schemes and major infrastructure-related development.

Throughout the year, a great deal of careful work was undertaken by the Chairman, Myself as Vice Chairman, committee members, substitute members and officers to examine each application on its merits. Members consistently gave their time, local knowledge and judgement to ensure that proposals were considered properly in relation to planning policy, design, highway safety, drainage, biodiversity, local character and the wider interests of parish residents. Where necessary, the Committee objected robustly; where proposals were suitable, it gave its support; and in other cases, it sought amendments, clarification or better mitigation.

Particular attention was given during the year to larger and more complex matters, including proposals relating to affordable housing, renewable energy, wind turbines, solar-related infrastructure, pre-application discussions and the implications of changes affecting the housing policies within the Neighbourhood Development Plan. The Committee also progressed related work on the Neighbourhood Priorities Statement, highways scheme requests, planning training and the updating of the Council’s Pre-application Advice Policy to reflect the Council’s commitment to biodiversity.

This work represents a significant collective effort. I would like to place on record sincere thanks to Cllr David Simpson for the dedication, leadership and considerable time he gave to the Committee during his year as Chairman. His commitment to the parish, his thoughtful approach to planning matters and the effort he put into supporting the work of the Committee were greatly valued. Thanks are also due to all committee members and substitute members for the time and care they gave throughout the year, and to the Clerk, Deputy Clerk and office team for the substantial amount of preparation, research, correspondence, agenda management, minute taking and follow-up action that sits behind every meeting and every response sent on behalf of the Council.

Planning work often takes place quietly behind the scenes, but it demands a great deal of time and attention to detail. The Committee’s work over the last year is a reflection of the commitment shown by councillors and staff alike in trying to achieve the best possible outcomes for the parish.

Finally, we remember with gratitude the service of Cllr David Simpson, whose passing in March 2026 was a great loss to the Council and the community. His contribution to the Planning & Licencing Committee and to parish life more widely will be remembered with respect and appreciation.”

Property & Services Committee – Cllr Keith Truscott

“The committee has continued to oversee the maintenance, management and improvement of the Parish Council’s buildings, land and community assets.

Throughout the year, we have considered a wide range of practical matters affecting the day-to-day services provided to residents.

During the year, the committee has supported improvements to parish infrastructure, including safety barriers at Nanpean Short Stay Car Park, tree works, litter bin provision, salt bins, grass cutting, bus shelter repairs, and upgrade works to Nanpean public toilets.

Unfortunately, vandalism at St Stephen public toilet facilities remains an ongoing issue, creating avoidable repair costs and additional pressure on council resources. This is money that would otherwise be better spent on improving local services and assets for residents. The committee therefore remains mindful of both the financial impact and the importance of protecting these facilities for public use.

We have also continued to review Speed Indication Device and Air Quality Monitoring reports on a regular basis, ensuring concerns are monitored and shared with the relevant outside agencies. From this additional Speed Indication Device poles have been fitted at Goonamarris.

The committee has also dealt with several cemetery and allotment matters. These have included updates to allotment arrangements, improvements to cemetery signage, memorial facilities, and consideration of longer-term cemetery extension work.

One of the key areas of progress this year has been biodiversity. The committee established a Biodiversity Sub-Committee and later considered several recommendations aimed at strengthening how biodiversity is reflected in the Council’s work, policies and projects going forward.

We have also considered matters relating to the Brannel Room, defibrillators, car parks, our commercial buildings and other property-related issues, always with the aim of maintaining assets to a good standard and ensuring they continue to serve the community well.

I would like to thank all members of the committee, the Clerk and officers for their work and support over the year.”

 

8. Questions/Recommendations from Residents.

No questions or recommendations had been received prior to the meeting. However, questions were raised by residents during the meeting, which were addressed accordingly.

 

9. History of the Parish and Surrounding China Clay Area

Valerie Jacob – Cornish Bard, gave a talk on the history of the parish and surrounding area ending with a Cornish poem.

 

10. Summary and Closing Remarks from the Parish Council Presiding Chairman – Cllr Julie Broad:

Cllr Julie Broad thanked everyone for attending and hoped they would stay for refreshments.

 

The meeting ended at 7.53pm

 

Signed as a true and accurate record –

 

Chairman    ………………………………….…

 

Date             …………………………………….