“We’re watching you” council tells dog owners

CCTV cameras in the town are now being used to catch dog owners who don’t pick up mess left by their pets. In addition to general crime detection, Shipston Town Council has asked the CCTV monitoring team to provide evidence to enable action to be taken against those who don’t clear up after their dogs.

Mayor, Ian Cooper, explained the decision: “We have reluctantly taken this step following repeated complaints about dog mess. The town council’s contractors are now having to clear dog mess from the town centre on a regular basis, at a cost to our residents. While the majority of dog owners in the town are responsible, we need to gather evidence to take action against those who refuse to scoop the poop, despite our efforts to raise awareness of both the unpleasantness and risk to health of dog mess being left on pavements.”

Failing to pick up after your pooch can mean a fixed penalty notice of £75 and could result in prosecution.

Extraordinary members of the Shipston community are being sought to be part of a first-class team of retained firefighters within the town.

Currently, there are seven retained firefighters in Shipston, responding to the call to keep our community safe. However, many more are needed to provide cover during the day, nights and weekends. This is an exciting and rewarding role, as local retained firefighter, Sam Begley can confirm. Sam joined the fire service two years ago. “Becoming a retained firefighter was a chance to fulfil a long-term ambition of mine. I was thrilled to make it through the assessment and thoroughly enjoy being part of a great team. As well as the operational duties, I’ve had the opportunity to learn new skills and meet a wide range of people. I love it.”

Warwickshire Fire Service is looking to recruit people from all walks of life. No previous experience is needed, but common sense, self-motivation, compassion and the ability to work as part of a team is essential. You must also live or work within five minutes travel time of Shipston Fire Station and be over 18. Retained firefighters are paid an annual retainer payment and an hourly wage when undertaking operational duties.

As well as responding to emergencies, retained firefighters get involved in community work, including educating children and adults on fire safety in the home and attending community events, including the annual Remembrance Parade.

Although not based in fire stations, retained firefighters usually live or work in their local community and carry a pager, so when they get the call, they are ready to respond to an emergency. The role can work alongside any current career in agreement with your employer or performed outside of your normal working hours. The job is challenging, but it is also one of the most rewarding careers available.

Mayor, Ian Cooper, said: “Shipston’s fire station is extremely important, not just to our town but to the surrounding villages. Shipston’s ability to answer an emergency call can make a significant difference to the amount of time it takes to respond to a fire. We are extremely fortunate to have such a committed group of local firefighters and I sincerely hope more people will consider putting themselves forward. As a retained firefighter, you will play a vital role in keeping our community safe.”

To take your first steps to becoming a retained firefighter or to find out more, visit www.warwickshire.gov.uk/beextraordinary

Shipston Town Council is encouraging local residents to consider standing for election ahead of the next town council election in May 2019. Being a town councillor – a voluntary role – is a great way to support your local community and ensure the town’s voice is heard across the district and beyond.

There are lots of great reasons why people decide to become a town councillor. As well as helping to shape your local community and deliver local services, being a town councillor can develop your own skills, give you the chance to meet people and get involved in local events.

One of the most visible roles of the town council is in considering planning applications which affect the town. Thanks to the dedicated work of Shipston Town Council’s Planning Working Group, the council has influenced the outcome of planning decisions and contributed to improvements in development proposals.

But councillors are also responsible for lots of other issues such as deciding which community groups should receive funding, how the town itself should be maintained, and how to support economic growth through tourism and leisure.

Mayor, Ian Cooper, said: “I’ve served on the town council since 2006. In that time I have learned a huge amount about
public and community services, and the valuable role town and parish councils play in ensuring rural communities are
represented at district and county level.

“While there are times when the role is challenging, it’s enormously rewarding and often fun. I encourage residents
to consider getting involved to ensure we have a full complement of councillors come May 2019.”

At least two current councillors have already indicated they won’t be standing for re-election, so the council is keen to
ensure more people come forward. If insufficient candidates stand, the council may be forced to co-opt unelected
representatives.

Potential councillors should apply once the Notice of Election is published in March. For more information – including how to become a district or a town councillor – visit https://www.stratford.gov.uk/council-democracy/be-a-councillor.cfm
Alternatively, contact the Town Clerk at Shipston Town Council on 662180 or clerk@shipstononline.org.

Shipston allotment holders have once again impressed external judges at two recent competitions.

The annual Shipston allotment competition was judged by Chris Small, a member of the Gloucestershire Guild of Judges. Mr Small praised allotment holders for the high standards and wide range of produce on display.

The overall winner was Chris Dunn of the Shoulderway Lane site. Winners at New Street were Ann Lynch in first place, Peter Harvey second and George Dunn third. At Shoulderway Lane, Chris Dunn took first place, with John Arnold second and Simon Ford third. The Mayor presented certificates to the winners at the Flower & Produce Show at the Townsend Hall in August.

Shipston Town Council entered both allotment sites in the Moreton Show allotment competition this year and were thrilled when New Street Allotments were crowned winners. The site won £100 which they have generously decided to donate to Shipston Community First Responders. The judges were very impressed with the amount of produce despite the drought and said the improvement in the sites from year to year never ceases to amaze them.

Big congratulations to all allotment holders for the effort they put into tending their plots and producing beautiful vegetables and flowers, even more so this year in light of the challenging growing conditions.

The referendum to decide whether Shipston should adopt its Neighbourhood Plan takes place on 6th September 2018. The Plan includes proposals for the type and location of development, infrastructure and local services in the town.

Planning decisions are currently taken at district council level and local input from Shipston is limited. Having a Neighbourhood Plan in place would ensure the views of local residents – as expressed in an adopted Neighbourhood Plan – are taken into account when considering planning proposals. With an adopted plan, the town would also be eligible for 25% of any Community Infrastructure Levy (which developers now have to pay on developments of 11 units or more) instead of 15% without an adopted plan.

The referendum is the culmination of a long process, which began in 2012, when Shipston Town Council held a launch event to find out whether residents supported the idea of producing a Plan, and to ask for initial views on the key issues it should address. Four key areas were identified: Housing, Environment; Infrastructure and Economy, with Flooding added at a later date given its local significance.

Following extensive consultation and research, the Neighbourhood Plan team formulated draft policies covering these areas, which were presented to residents at an Open Day in December 2015. Ongoing updates were posted via the Neighbourhood Plan website and a questionnaire was sent to all residents. A statutory consultation ran from December 2016 for six weeks to enable residents to make further comments, and the Plan was approved by Shipston Town Council in October 2017. An independent examiner has since assessed the Plan and recommended it go forward to referendum, subject to some modifications which have been incorporated.

Shipston residents who are registered on the Electoral Role, will have received polling cards recently from Stratford District Council ahead of this important referendum.

Voters can choose to accept or reject the Neighbourhood Plan. If accepted, the Plan will become part of the formal planning process. This means that Stratford District Council, by law, must consider the policies in the Plan when reviewing new development applications in Shipston.

Mayor Ian Cooper said “This referendum is a unique opportunity for Shipston residents to have their say directly and to help shape the future development of Shipston. Whether you opt to accept or reject the Plan, I urge all residents to use their vote on the 6th September. Don’t miss this chance to influence the future of our community.”

To find out more about the policies proposed, download a copy of the Neighbourhood Plan via www.shipstontowncouncil.org and www.shipstonnp.org. Printed copies are available for inspection at New Clark House, West Street and Shipston Library.

Shipston Medical Centre has reported that the local Clinical Commissioning Group has commissioned an appraisal of the options for developing larger premises for the Medical Centre in Shipston. This is a significant step forward.

It is thought that two of the options being assessed are development of a new building on newly acquired land at the Ellen Badger Hospital or on land identified for health purposes on the north side of the Campden Road.

Proposals are at a very early stage and are likely to take at least five years to come to fruition. Practice Manager, Rachel Vial, said: “Nothing is set in stone and we still can’t guarantee that we will secure the funding and support needed for a new centre, but this is at least a step in the right direction.”

In late June, 11 members of the Environment Agency, including senior directors and managers visited Shipston-on-Stour and toured the extensive River Stour catchment where flood intervention measures have been installed in 2017/18.

They were invited by members of the Shipston Area Flood Action Group (SAFAG) to view some of the 175 flood intervention measures which have been installed on the Knee Brook (the main local watercourse) and its tributaries.

The Environment Agency has been very supportive of SAFAG over the last few years as they view the Group as leaders and national pathfinders in community-led natural flood management (NFM) projects across the UK.  The 175 NFM interventions, such as woody dams, ponds and bunds etc, are designed to ‘slow the flow’ of the watercourses typically on farmland in the upper reaches during spate conditions.  It is intended that this holding back and slowing of the flood waters will reduce the risk of flooding to homes and businesses in Shipston and numerous other villages in the local area.

During the visit the EA members were given the opportunity to assist in building two woody dams to better understand the challenges and issues involved. SAFAG members delivered a video presentation of the 2007 floods which emphasised the extent of the flooding problem in the area.  

The visit was a great success and assisted in enhancing partnership working with the Environment Agency as SAFAG bid for future funding. 

Shipston High School is now able to welcome a record number of students thanks to completion of a new block of classrooms in July 2018.

The smart new building houses nine new classrooms for languages, religious education and English lessons, as well as a new reception area. Students moved into the new accommodation on the 2nd July, just under a year after construction began.

This is the second new block to be built on the site, following earlier expansion in 2016. Both new buildings have been funded by Warwickshire County Council (WCC) to enable Shipston High School to provide additional high quality school places for the local community.

Headteacher, Gavin Saunders, said: “We are very grateful to WCC for its faith and investment in the school. The building is a response to the need for more school places, but also a recognition that all students deserve a high quality learning environment. The school is increasingly popular and our Year 7 intake in September will have 120 students, our largest year group to date.”

Further expansion is planned, with the school actively exploring a new sports hall which could potentially be hired for community use outside of school hours. Internal work is also underway to refresh the older block, including a newly equipped drama and performing arts space and expanded classrooms for some subjects.

“This expansion comes at a time when all schools are increasingly under pressure for adequate funding, and the new examinations are also a challenge, but we are committed to providing the best opportunities for our young people. In general, the school is vibrant and confident for the future, and we would like to thank the local community for the support they continue to give Shipston High School” Mr Saunders added.

Mayor, Ian Cooper, said: “It is encouraging to see such positive progress at the High School, both in terms of the investment in new buildings and in the academic performance of its students. We wish the High School every success as it embarks on the new academic year.”

Visitors ‘flocked’ in their hundreds to the annual Shipston Wool Fair at the end of May.

The event was officially opened by Lady Howe, Chair, Veronica Murphy, and Shipston Town Mayor, Ian Cooper. There was also a large turnout of invited Civic Dignitaries from throughout Warwickshire.

New for this year was a ten hour knitathon which started at 5:45am! Over 70 squares were knitted during the day, before being sewn together into two shawls for Hamlin Fistula UK, the only UK charity exclusively supporting the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital in Ethiopia.

Not content with just knitting shawls, Shipston’s knitting and crocheting army set about covering the town in colourful yarn throughout the woolly weekend. From licorice allsorts on bollards to woolly bunting and crocheted bikes, there were delightful creations around every corner in the centre of town and beyond.

But the stars of the Wool Fair were, of course, the sheep. Rare breeds delighted visitors of all ages, while live shearing drew the crowds as woolly sheep were trimmed for the summer.

Adding to the attractions were a variety of stalls selling goods and food, while others were raising funds through competitions and raffles.

The Wool Fair was the culmination of a series of woolly celebrations, which had started with the first Wool Fair Farm Day in early May. This was followed by the Totally Locally Arts and Crafts Market on 26th May and the Rotary Community Songs of Praise on the 27th. All in all - it was a busy schedule for Shipston in May.

Mayor, Ian Cooper, said: “It was an honour to open the Wool Fair in its 10th Anniversary Year. A considerable amount of work goes into planning and running this event and it was wonderful to see everyone’s efforts pay off. Thanks to everyone involved - and to those who supported the Wool Fair events.”

Councillor Ian Cooper was unanimously elected Mayor of Shipston for the forthcoming year at the Annual Meeting of the Town Council in May. His appointment follows 12 months as Deputy Mayor and over 12 years serving on the town council.

In accepting the post, the new Mayor said: “I feel honoured to take on the role of Mayor of Shipston and I am looking forward to a busy year ahead. I would like to thank Dan Scobie for the considerable effort he put in throughout his time as Mayor – he has been an excellent ambassador for Shipston, both within the town and across the county.”

Ian Cooper will be supported in his mayoral duties by the new Mayoress, Tina Cook (both pictured right).

Within minutes of thanking and bidding farewell to Dan Scobie as Mayor, councillors were voting him in as Deputy Mayor for the second time! “I would like to thank all my fellow councillors for their support during my 12 months as Mayor.” Dan Scobie said. “I’m delighted to accept the nomination for Deputy Mayor and will continue to work with Ian and others to promote our town,” he added.

The Annual Meeting was officially opened by the Town Crier, Marion Lowe. In addition to the Mayor-making activities and the normal business of the council, the annual meeting is when councillors are required to review and approve statutory documents and set the schedule of meetings for the forthcoming year.

Residents are reminded they are welcome to attend meetings of the town council which take place on the second Monday of the month at 7pm at New Clark House. Agendas can be downloaded in advance from www.shipstontowncouncil.org.

A new partnership has been set up to launch a major initiative against loneliness and social isolation in Shipston and the neighbouring villages.

Shipston SCAN, Shipston Medical Centre, VASA and the county and district councils have formed the Stour Partnership Against Social Isolation and Loneliness to tackle the problems. Other local organisations including the town council, Lions, Rotary, Age Concern, the Baptist Church, U3A and Ellen Badger League of Friends support the project.

Speaking for the partnership, Trevor Russel, chair of Shipston SCAN, explained: “Social isolation and loneliness are as harmful to people’s health as smoking and obesity. By some estimates, nine million people in the country are lonely or socially isolated. These problems exist in every community - and Shipston is no exception.

“Working together, we intend to identify the scale of the problems here, look at initiatives to tackle them, find the funding and deliver solutions.

“There has to be and there will be a community-wide and community-led action. Shipston has done a terrific job on dementia. We now need to do just as good a job with loneliness and social isolation”.

As a first step, the partnership is sending a questionnaire to every household in Shipston. If anyone would like a copy or more information, please contact Trevor on 01608 662514 or basicallybooks@btinternet.com

Walking around the town centre of Shipston over the last two months you will have seen a display of spring bulbs and flowers in all manner of different locations and planters. Have you ever wondered who put them there? 

We caught up with Chairman of Shipston in Bloom, Simon Welch, to find out more.

“Let me dispel a myth – it was neither the elves nor the fairies!” - Simon revealed that over a period of about ten days late last October a small team of local volunteers descended upon Shipston and planted 8,000 daffodil bulbs, 1,000 tulip bulbs and 600 forget-me-not plants.  The planting was designed, planned and executed by Shipston in Bloom – a committee of 10 local residents. They were assisted by half a dozen additional helpers as well as the Rotary Club, the Lions, and last but by no means least the town gardening contractors – Lawns 2 Mow.

Shipston in Bloom exists in order to make the town colourful and attractive throughout most of the year for the benefit of both residents and visitors by creating a spring bulb display and later in the summer, a display of summer bedding plants. 

Simon explained that Shipston in Bloom’s working year begins in early October when the summer bedding displays have finished and the plants are removed and discarded. The containers and beds are dug over and then planted with the bulbs and plants that will blossom in the spring. The committee then start the exercise of planning for the summer bedding displays choosing a design, colour scheme and appropriate plants. By the end of December the team is ready to order approximately 4,000 plants. 

“For summer 2018, we have gone for a simple, but multi-coloured scheme – trailing begonias in the planters and antirrhinums in the flat beds, with a few structural spot plants – cordylines.” Simon revealed.

At the end of April, when the bulbs have finished flowering the hard work really begins. All the bulbs are lifted and the top six inches of spent compost is removed from all the planters and replaced.  Slow release fertiliser and water-retaining crystals are added. From the end of May, the bedding plants are planted out and watered in. 

“Once we’ve completed the summer planting, we begin to relax and, along with residents and visitors, enjoy the fruits of our labour. However, keeping the plants sufficiently watered can be a major headache. We rely on rainfall and the tremendous job done by Lawns 2 Mow with their water bowser, but the 88 householder pots have to be watered more regularly.”  Simon explained.

“Despite the considerable rainfall Shipston experienced on occasions, many householder pots suffered badly through lack of any water. So if you have householder pots outside your house, shop or business, could you PLEASE look at them every two or three days as you go in and out, and if the plants look sad and the compost feels dry – please give them a good water. Thank you in advance!” he added.

By the end of September, the summer display will be fading. October arrives and Shipston in Bloom’s annual cycle starts again for another year.

Funding the blooms

Bulbs, plants, compost, fertiliser are paid for indirectly by residents via the Town Council precept (part of the council tax). In addition, the group holds a Grand Raffle at the Victorian Evening to raise funds. Shipston in Bloom also receives a small number of generous donations from some residents. The money raised (excluding the council grant) is used to fund a replacement programme of planters. 

“Next time you see a senior citizen wearing a high-vis tabard labelled Shipston in Bloom, and on their knees grovelling around a flower bed or crouched over a planter, stop for a chat with us, we more than welcome suggestions for improving the town’s floral displays.” Simon concluded.

Shipston in Bloom would love to welcome more members. If you might be interested in joining please contact Simon Welch by phone or e-mail - 01608 663596, simon.welch@talktalk.net

This year marks the 10th Anniversary of the Shipston Wool Fair.  For those of you who don’t know, this historic event was resurrected in 2009 after a lapse of around 150 years.

To mark the 10th Anniversary, a special Wool Fair Farm Day at Lower Clopton Farm, Lower Quinton, will be held on the 5th of May as a prelude to the Wool Fair itself (occurring as normal on Bank Holiday Monday 28th May).  

Attractions at the Wool Fair ‘Day on the Farm’ will include working sheep dogs, an exhibition of vintage tractors, birds of prey on display, a farm trail, demonstrations of traditional crafts and stalls selling quality goods. Despite all this activity, entry is just £2.50 and under 3s go free.

Chair of the Wool Fair, Mrs Ronnie Murphy commented “we are delighted to be working with Lower Clopton Farm to mark this special milestone in the Wool Fair’s history. This will be a memorable event and a fitting prelude to the Wool Fair itself.”

Richard and Susie Baldwyn from Lower Clopton Farm said  “we are delighted to welcome the Wool Fair to the farm for this special occasion. We are committed to sharing with our visitors the importance of farming and quality home-produced food, a commitment shared by the Shipston Wool Fair.”

Come and join us and enjoy a fascinating and memorable ‘day on the farm’ at Upper Quinton, CV37 8LQ. 

Shipston’s draft Neighbourhood Plan has been given the green light to proceed to a public referendum. Following close inspection by an independent examiner, and a six week consultation period, the plan is on course for a public vote in the early summer.

The inspector raised a number of points which the Neighbourhood Plan team is working through. As a result, some policies and graphics in the plan are being amended or removed to ensure the considerations are taken on board.

Following completion of the updates, Stratford District Council will begin the process of organising a public referendum. The referendum is a simple yes or no vote regarding whether the town should adopt the Neighbourhood Plan. All adults registered to vote within the town will have the opportunity to have their say.

If adopted, the Neighbourhood Plan will become a material consideration in any new development proposed for the town. In addition, the town will receive 25% of the new Community Infrastructure Levy funds sourced from future new developments of over ten houses built in the town. 

Look out for a more detailed insight into the key policies in the Neighbourhood Plan which will be published in the Forum prior to the referendum. 

Shipston Town Council is calling on all residents to nominate their community heroes for the 2018 Shipston Award.

The Shipston Award recognises work done by volunteers to support the local community. Originally known as the Anne Sankey Medal, the award was created by former Mayor, Anne Sankey, who led the council in 1998 and was a fervent supporter of community initiatives. 

Shipston owes a huge amount to those who volunteer their time to support local services and activities. From fundraising to running local clubs or events, the town is fortunate enough to have many examples of voluntary work. The Shipston Award gives the town an opportunity to recognise those efforts.

Examples of community initiatives include the many and varied events in the town, clubs and societies which provide services and activities for residents, and fundraising efforts to support local charities.

Last year the award was given to Tim Porter in recognition of his many years of service to the Shipston Proms, which will celebrate its 20th year this year.

If you know of someone who is going above and beyond to serve the local community, councillors want to hear from you.

To nominate, simply complete the nomination form on page 9 of the March 2018 Forum and send it in to the Town Clerk at New Clark House, West Street, Shipston. Alternatively, send an email to clerk@shipstononline.org containing the same information (see image below).

Nominations will be reviewed by councillors, with the winner being announced at the Annual Town Meeting on 19th April at Shipston High School.

On Saturday 13th January, the Sheldon Bosley Hub was a hive of energetic activity as residents from in and around Shipston flocked to the venue to take part in its first ‘New Year, New You’ event.

The brainchild of Zumba Fitness Instructor, Rachel Tame, the event was designed to raise awareness of the wide variety of sports clubs and exercise classes available in the local area. As well as providing clubs and local instructors with an opportunity to showcase their activities, free ‘taster’ sessions were held throughout the day so people could try something new and find out which forms of exercise would work best for them.

Rachel Tame explained the thinking behind the event: “January is often a time when people start thinking about their health and fitness and are keen to find ways to get the new year off to a positive start. But committing to regular fitness can be a challenge, which is why it’s important to find something you enjoy and that fits around your schedule.

“There are lots of small clubs and micro fitness businesses operating in Shipston, and we wanted to make it easier for people to find out who does what, when, and where. Putting on the ‘New Year, New You’ event gave everyone the opportunity to find out what’s available, meet people from the different clubs and classes and even have a go at a new type of exercise. We were delighted with the response.”

The event, which ran from 9:30am – 4pm, offered taster sessions in Zumba, Boxercise, Pole Dancing, Fit Steps, Pilates, Yoga, Line Dancing, Kung Fu and T’ai Chi. In addition, Shipston Cycling Club took willing participants for a spin around the local area while local running club, Hook Norton Harriers, encouraged local residents to join a four mile run around Shipston and Honington. Those who prefer competitive sports also had the opportunity to find out about Shipston Badminton Club and locally-based Shooters Netball Club.

Not content with simply raising awareness of fitness clubs and offering free taster sessions, the organisers also ran a charity refreshments stall, raising an impressive £250 for Shipston Home Nursing.

On its Facebook page, the Sheldon Bosley Hub said: “We would like to say a huge well done to Rachel Tame and all the fitness instructors for the amazing fitness day at the hub. A great new event for the hub and a great success. Thanks to all the participants in the sessions and we look forward to seeing you at one of the many classes or groups.”

Mayor, Dan Scobie, said: “This kind of event takes a lot of effort to organise but is exactly the sort of occasion that helps bring the community together and gives small businesses and local clubs and societies the opportunity to reach more people. The benefits of exercise are well known and we are very fortunate to have such a wide variety of activities on offer in our town. Congratulations to all involved in this event.”

From stunning snowy scenes to woolly wonders, Shipston put on a fantastic show during the festive period.

As part of the preparations for the Victorian Evening, Shipston’s talented knitters brought yarn bombing back to the town. Miniature penguins, Santas and robins adorned the bollards around the town. One of the most popular designs was the recreation of the late Walter Emms’ cart – a unique creation for Shipston. Equally impressive was the knitted church, complete with parishioners!

Many residents also indulged their creative side when it came to Christmas lights. Farm Close once again put on a fantastic show, while one house on Donnington Road pulled out all the stops to put on a display in aid of Shipston’s Community First Responders (pictured).

Mother Nature also had a hand in giving Shipston a festive makeover, with an early coating of snow on the 10th December. Despite causing chaos on the roads, there were some lovely snowy scenes caught on camera – many of which can still be seen on the Shipston Notice Board Facebook page.

Mayor, Dan Scobie, said: “It was wonderful to see the efforts residents and businesses went to in creating memorable festive scenes for us all to enjoy.

“Thank you to all those who had a hand in putting on such a great show at the end of 2017.”