In past elections we have not responded to election leaflets from others, only to be told afterwards by residents " Had we known that we would have voted differently ". So this election we have taken time to correct a few things.

Residents will vote as they wish but have a right to accurate information.

• The Stone Neighbourhood Plan is vital to protect Stone from over development and protect our green spaces. It is a positive plan drawn up by councillors, residents and planning experts according to Government regulations. Any delay has been caused by Conservative-controlled Stafford Borough Council.

• Local Conservative Councillors opposed developing a Neighbourhood Plan. They said it was unnecessary. Philip Jones stated in October 2011: “..Nothing will happen for at least 10 years. A few houses here and there....”. Since then more than 1,100 new houses have been built and /or approved and our green spaces remain under threat. (minuted evidence can be seen below)

• Mr Jones complains that the Neighbourhood Plan is ‘expensive’ but fails to state that money to support its development has come from Central Government.

• The Stone Town part of your council tax is about £50 per household per year and actually one of the lowest in nearby towns. It would have been even lower if local Conservative councillor Lynne Bakker-Collier hadn’t resigned from the Town Council in 2016 causing a by-election, costing Stone residents £8,493. Remarkably, she is now standing again in this election. 

• Local Conservative candidates say in their election leaflets that they want to stop development of the planned Stone Heritage Centre which forms part of the Crown Wharf development. They believe that displaying Stone’s Heritage, attracting visitors to the town and providing a valuable educational resource to local schools is a waste of money. Crown Wharf Heritage Centre will be a tourist attraction that will support the town centre. It is the result of close and harmonious work with Joules Brewery. Our local Conservative candidates prefer to redirect the £100,000 already raised for the Crown Wharf project to undefined ‘leisure and play facilities’ that should be provided by Stafford Borough Council.

• Work done by Stone Independents to improve and promote Stone since gaining control of the Town Council has resulted in an increasingly vibrant Town Centre (in contrast to many other towns across the U.K). Mr Phillip Jones believes credit lies elsewhere.