November saw Shipston and surrounding areas experience flooding which left a number of roads impassable and forced both schools in the town to close early.

The Environment Agency attended to monitor Shipston Bridge and Lawns 2 Mow were out in force to manage road closures and diversions. Residents took to Facebook to share information about safest routes for travel and local road closures.

Mayor, Dan Scobie, said: “Thanks to the work that Shipston Area Flood Action Group has been doing in recent years and some kinder weather in recent years, this is probably the most severe flooding we have experienced for some years. I’m extremely grateful to Lawns to Mow for supporting the local police with road closures and diversions, and to residents for keeping everyone up to date which hopefully reduced the pressure on local roads during the worst of the weather.”

After nearly twenty years at Shipston Medical Centre, Dr Jane Gilder will be leaving the practice at Christmas.

As senior partner, Dr Gilder has led the practice since 2015, and has been working with colleagues on future plans for a new medical centre as well as looking after patients. In addition to a number of specialist roles at the practice, Dr Gilder has also been involved in training and supporting newly qualified GPs as well as providing support and guidance to the whole team.

Practice Manager, Rachel Vial, said: “Dr Gilder is extremely popular with staff and patients alike and will be sorely missed.

We wish her every success for the future.

The Town Council has endorsed proposals to seek ‘Healthy Town’ status for Shipston.

According to Healthy Bicester, ‘healthy towns’ “involve individual residents, workplaces and employers, schools and nurseries, clubs, associations, volunteers and health and care services who are all working together to enable and support people to live healthier lives and to promote their wellbeing”.

While national efforts to create healthy new towns are focusing on ten ‘demonstrator sites’ Bryan Stoten, Chair of the Ellen Badger League of Friends has challenged Shipston to attain the status of a ‘healthy town’ with the expansion of the hospital, including a wellness hub, and location of the new medical centre on the site being at the heart of the initiative.

A number of community groups and associations have already come together to set up the Stour Partnership Against Social Isolation and Loneliness (SPASIL), including Rotary, the Lions, SCAN, the League of Friends, Shipston Medical Centre as well as Warwickshire County Council and Stratford District Council.

The next step is to expand SPASIL into a Health and Wellbeing Partnership (HWP), which will allow a wide range of community groups to get involved. The new HWP will develop a health and wellbeing strategy, taking into account the emerging priorities arising from current plans and consultations.

Shipston Town Council has nominated two representatives to join the partnership. For more information about this initiative, please contact Trevor Russel on 01608 662514/ 07771 855214 or t.w.russel@hotmail.com

Shipston Town Council’s annual community grants scheme is now open or bids for the next financial year – April 2020 to March 2021.

The community grant scheme is one of the most rewarding aspects of the council’s work. The council sets aside money every year to directly support local initiatives undertaken by voluntary groups and charities which benefit residents.

Last year saw a total of £20,500 awarded to support a wide range of projects from community events to lifesaving services.

The grant scheme is open to any voluntary group or charity based in Shipston or actively working in the town. Bids must relate to specific projects, such as a purchase of new equipment or support for an event, rather than general funds.

Typically, individual grants range from £250 to £2,000, although in some cases, awards may be higher. Mayor, Dan Scobie, said: “Community grants are a great way of supporting the many and varied projects and services available in the town. Wherever possible, we are keen to support projects that benefit a wide group of residents to make best use of public funds, but we do consider niche projects as well, particularly when it’s to do with supporting some of the more vulnerable members of our community.”

Applications for grants must be received by 31 October. To find out more and for copies of the application form, please
contact the Town Clerk on 01608 662180.

Grants in Action

Improving access to the river bank
Shipston Town Council contributed funds to help pay for work being done by the Sports and Social club and Angling Club on
the riverbank. The grant has helped make it possible for people with disabilities to access the river and enjoy fishing. The new platform was officially opened as part of the Fish n Frolics festival in July.

Keeping people moving
The Town Council has supported both the voluntary drivers scheme through VASA and Shipston Link, both of which provide transport for those in need, particularly to help residents get to medical appointments and shops.

Lifesaving support
Through its grant scheme, Shipston Town Council funds the ongoing costs of the Shipston Community First Response vehicle, including insurance, road tax and maintenance. This funding helps ensure the voluntary first aiders can reach people throughout the town quickly when there’s an emergency.

Proms party
Grant funding has also been awarded for the Last Night of the Proms, recognising that it is such an important event for the town, and an opportunity for everyone to come together and enjoy music free of charge.

Blooming marvellous
Every year, the council funds the flowers planted by Shipston in Bloom which make such a positive visual impact throughout the town. 

Grants have also been used to support maintenance projects and new equipment for the Townsend Hall, invest in the Youth Club outreach programme and Xfest, support Citizens Advice services and help pay for repairs to the Town Band hall.

“Unfortunately we can’t fund every bid, and often we are not able to give as much money as groups would ideally like. However, we consider every bid carefully and aim to support as many and as diverse a range of projects as we can”, the Mayor concluded.

For application details see the advert on page 14 of the Forum.

Warwickshire Police is encouraging residents to keep in touch with their local Safer Neighbourhood Team.

Warwickshirepolice.co.uk has a page for each SNT giving details on who is in the team, a monthly newsletter and reporting on good news or incidents of note. You can also sign up to alerts via the Community Messaging Service. More features are to be added, including a crime map, giving an overview of crimes in a specific area, down to street level.

Shipston’s SNT is active on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook and is a great way to find out what they are doing to tackle crime in and around the town.

Instagram: SouthWarwickshireSNTs
Facebook: ShipstonSaferNeighbourhoodTeam
Twitter: @ShipstonCops

Warwickshire Rural Watch is a free scheme to help combat rural crime in Warwickshire. You can sign up to receive incident alerts and news for Shipston and the local area and access crime prevention advice and information.

Shipston SNT has an email address unique to them for non-emergency issues and advice -shipston.snt@warwickshire.pnn.police.uk. You should receive a response within 72 hours, although often replies are given sooner.
101 is the national phone number to contact your local police. 101 is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and is free. However, in an emergency - when someone is in danger, a crime is in progress or a suspect is nearby - always dial 999.

Everyone at Shipston Town Council was saddened to learn of the death of Alan Noyce early in the morning of 19th August.
Alan had a charismatic personality and was an active member of the town council for more than a dozen years, serving as Mayor for three terms in 2007, 2008 and 2009.

Alan worked tirelessly to improve the overall wellbeing of the town; he introduced the working party system, which has successfully spread the work-load between all councillors. Alan had a common sense approach and was a true ambassador for the town, raising the profile of Shipston all over Warwickshire and further afield.

Alan’s late wife Angela, who had been Mayor in 2004 and 2006, died of an illness very suddenly in 2009, two days before she was due to become Mayor. Alan stepped in to the breach to serve his third successive term.

Alan remarried in October 2012 to his wife Pat and resigned from the town council in 2014.

He was highly regarded throughout the town, and will be missed. Our thoughts are with his wife Pat, and all his family at this difficult time.Everyone at Shipston Town Council was saddened to learn of the death of Alan Noyce early in the morning of 19th August.

A member of the Britpop Boys - one of the bands playing at the Last Night of the Proms - said how lucky Shipston was to have such a festival and what a privilege it was to be part of it. Judging by the packed crowd in the square on the Last Night, the audience agreed.

In what some have said was the best Proms yet, an eclectic mix of music was very much on show across the fortnight.

The Last Night party was opened by the Young Musicians Choir, followed by the winners of the Fame Contest, Kathryn Packer (solo) and the Shipston High Jazz Band. Mr. Blonde brought a mix of popular soulful and funky covers and Oliver Darling and the Living Legends had everyone dancing with their jumping rhythm and blues and rock ‘n roll. When 90’s tribute sensation, The Britpop Boys, came on everyone was ready for a sing a long to the likes of ‘Wonderwall’ and the finale ‘Don’t Look Back in Anger’.

This fabulous finale was preceded by about thirty acts designed to entertain everyone from young to old. Events included two dance parties, a sing- a-long Sound of Music night, the popular Helen Porter Chamberpot Pourri and organ recital, a Michael Jackson tribute night, jazz on a Sunday afternoon, an American blues troubadour, choirs, coffee morning concerts, an open mic night and more. This year, events were held in many venues across more local villages than before.

Some of the highlights included the Pub and Cafe Trail which saw venues packed as people followed the music round on Saturday night.

At St. Edmund’s Church, international guitarist Craig Ogden and Claire Bradshaw played to over a hundred people in an event organised by The Music Society.

The three DJ Dance Night at the Townsend Hall saw Tim Samsara, Mike Smythy and Benji bring their mix of club tracks and dance anthems to Shipston and impressing the audience with an amazing light show by Clearsound. The young crowd who went have asked for more of the same next year.

Giving young musicians a platform

Shipston Proms was set up in part to showcase local young talent and this year was a great example of this. Fifteen year old Kathryn Packer showed herself to be an accomplished musician as she sang and played the keyboard on the main stage, having won the double at the Fame Contest, both in the soloist and band category. Another local win in the Fame Contest was the Shipston High Jazz Band made up of talented students from Years 10 and 11.

Thanks to a number of talented music teachers, many of whom actively support the Proms, including David Hunt, Helen Porter and Emma Jane Roberts, local students have been encouraged to learn and perform music. This is showcased at the Young Musicians Concert at Barcheston, held every year on the second Wednesday of the Proms. Both the High School and Primary School also hold their own concerts during the Proms giving children of all ages the chance to perform.

Proms Chair, Charlotte Haines, said: “We are very fortunate to have access to some fine musicians in and around Warwickshire and that outstanding performers are willing to come and take part in this exciting annual tradition. The Proms Committee works hard to put on a successful fortnight of music every year and it is so rewarding to see residents and visitors of all ages enjoying themselves at our events.

“I would like to thank everyone who helped make this year’s Proms such a success - can’t wait for 2020!”

The heavy and persistent rainfall throughout June played havoc with the plans the Shipston Area Flood Action Group (SAFAG) had to introduce flood alleviation measures into the southern and eastern parts of the catchment area. But on the plus side, the downpours provided the severest test yet of the effectiveness of existing installations.

As a condition of the funding SAFAG receives, the interventions have to be monitored to ensure they are performing efficiently. Some monitoring is handled automatically with solar powered cameras feeding pictures directly to the Environment Agency. Group members are also allocated sites to visit and photograph at times of excessive rainfall. So important is this data that Kings College London have installed their own recording devices in the catchment as part of a worldwide study into rainfall and the impact upon flooding.

During the June downpour, it was extremely rewarding for the team to receive feedback from some of the Pigbrook landowners and farmers that interventions on their land were working and that Shoulderway Lane, which historically floods under a deluge of similar scale, remained unaffected.

So just maybe in these reported cases, the clouds did have a silver lining!

Well done and thank you to everyone involved for their hard work (see page 14 for more news about SAFAG).

Shipston’s Wool Fair Weekend was hailed a huge success, attracting civic dignitaries, residents and visitors from the region.

Totally Locally got the weekend off to a great start with another busy arts and crafts festival. This was followed by the Rotary Community Songs of Praise.

As for the Wool Fair itself, quite rightly, the sheep stole the show, with some particularly cute varieties proving extremely popular. Shearing was another draw, with many flocking round to see hand shearing in action.

As a first for this year, the Wool Fair weekend featured a wedding dress display from the Victorian era to the present day, alongside a stunning flower festival, organised by St Edmund's Church, which delighted the town’s special guests (see photo, right, by Chris Wright). The weekend was also the first opening for the pop-up photographic exhibition at former council offices, Clark House, on West Street. 

The main stage played host to numerous local musicians including the High School Band and Shipston Town Band. Craft stalls, competitions and games entertained everyone, while a variety of food and sweet treats kept energy levels up.

Feedback from Civic Dignitaries has been overwhelmingly positive, demonstrating what a positive impact the event has on Shipston’s reputation in the wider region.

Letters have been received from a number of people, including the High Sheriff of Warwickshire, Simon Miesegaes, who said: “Thank you for your hospitality at the Wool Fair... It was a great success and such a happy reflection on the wonderful town that is Shipston on Stour.”

Chairman of Warwick Town Council, commented: “We found it a most interesting and enjoyable morning in good company... The originators and organisers are to be congratulated. We were particularly impressed by the displays in the church which had clearly involved much effort.”

The event had a real buzz throughout the day, with something to occupy all ages. There was strong enthusiasm for soaking Young Farmers in the stocks, while many children enjoyed the challenge of finding the hoops around the town and answering the quiz for a chance to win a delightful sheep cushion.

Mayor, Dan Scobie, said: “The Wool Fair is the first Shipston event in the new mayoral calendar and it’s a wonderful way to make our mark in the region. “I am well aware of how much work goes into The Wool Fair. I would like to thank the Wool Fair Committee, Totally Locally, St Edmund's Church and all the other volunteers who helped to put on such a great event.”

The Lions have been out again planting up the Centenary Garden with sumer flowers to continue to present the site as a star attraction when entering the town. It is hoped the strong colours will make the Centenary Garden a fitting tribute to the D-Day commemorations. This year we have planted over 450 Antirrhinum Sonnetin in the flower beds and Begonia Tuberosa in the pots. Many people stop to admire the garden and read the Centenary Memorial on the site to reflect on the horror of war while taking a rest on the seating benches.

Working in conjunction with The Royal British Legion and Shipston Town Council, the Lions designed and organised the installation of this memorial to the 36 Shipston men who fell in the Great War. The name of each soldier has been engraved on individual tiles displayed in the centre of the garden as a permanent display. The whole garden, located in the centre of Shipston on the Gyratory, is planted and maintained by the Lions in conjunction with Shipston-in-Bloom who supply
the plants.

Mayor, Dan Scobie, announced that his charity for the year will be Shipston First Responders (SFR).

SFR help West Midlands Ambulance Service get trained, experienced care to a patient very rapidly. SFR volunteers are based in and around the town and can usually respond to an emergency call within 5 minutes which can be vital considering the town’s rural location.

SFR, Tony Booth (pictured) explained that the team is often first on the scene, and has saved lives in cardiac arrest situations. The team aims to provide a service 24 hours, 7 days a week and is always looking for more volunteers.

SFR is funded entirely from donations and grants. All of the people delivering this vital service are volunteers, helping others in their own time, and at their own cost.

Mayor, Dan Scobie, said: “I was surprised to discover that SFR volunteers have to pay for everything out of money they raise or their own pocket. This includes their uniforms, their first aid supplies, and their heart defibrillators. If they use any equipment on a patient, they have to replace it at their own expense. This year the Town Council will be helping to raise funds to allow SFR to focus on delivering the care they do so well, and have to spend less time thinking about the money.”

Shipston Town Council took a new approach to its Annual Town Meeting in April 2019, which saw the event focus on the town’s many highlights across the year.

Annual Town Meetings are a legal requirement of all town councils and provide an opportunity to report on key activities over the past 12 months. Rather than focusing on detailed updates from council working groups, the town council decided to put the community at the heart of the event.

The meeting opened with a show reel of highlights from the last 12 months, featuring some of the town’s main events and achievements as well as some of the council services.

For the first time, the town council invited those community groups who have received grants from the council for 2019/20 to accept their cheques and say a few words about their group. As a result, residents heard from over ten groups ranging from sports and music clubs to transport and voluntary first aid services.

The meeting also welcomed back a number of past town mayors who were invited to receive their ‘Past Mayor’ medals. These medals can be worn at civic events and parades and will recognise the commitment made by individuals for their town.

Mayor, Ian Cooper, said: “I have been struck by the warm welcome I have received when representing Shipston at civic events across the region. That Shipston has such a strong reputation across Warwickshire and beyond is thanks in large part to previous mayors who have represented our community so well. These medals are our way of expressing thanks on behalf of the community for their work to support Shipston. It was an honour to present the medals and a delight to see so many past mayors in attendance.”

The meeting, which was held in the Townsend Hall, was well attended by residents, many of whom are directly involved in clubs and societies in the town.

“I was delighted to see so many people at the Annual Town Meeting. As a town, we have achieved a great deal in the past 12 months and marked many important anniversaries, including the 10th Wool Fair, 20th Proms and 21st Victorian Evening, as well as the largest Remembrance Parade in honour of the 100 year anniversary of WWI. Thanks to the strength of our community, we have much to be proud of and while we continue to face challenges, it is important to reflect on our successes as a town.”

What do wedding dresses and sheep shearing have in common? They’ll both be featuring in this year’s Shipston Wool Fair!

With just a few weeks to go, the race is on to finalise a packed weekend of attractions, including the Totally Locally Arts & Crafts market on Saturday 25th May, a community Songs of Praise on the 26th, followed by the Wool Fair itself on bank holiday Monday, 27th May. The Woolly Weekend will bring a mix of traditional attractions such as sheep shearing, meet the rare breeds, and the woolly marquee showcasing traditional wool processes and crafts. There will also be stalls selling treats and gifts as well as charities running games and competitions to raise money for local causes.

New for this year will be the wedding dress exhibition to accompany the flower festival, hosted at St Edmund’s Church throughout the weekend. Both are free to enter but donations are welcome to support the upkeep of the church.

In the run up to the Wool Fair, the town centre will be decorated with hundreds of knitted and crocheted forget-me-nots to raise awareness of dementia. We’re also hoping for a return of last year’s giant knitted sheep on the gyratory – keep your eyes peeled. 

Live shearing demonstrations will take place throughout the day, led by a local shearer who will demonstrate both traditional ‘hand shearing’ and more modern electrical shearing. Thanks to Derek Webb from Armscote and John Peebles from Willington, visitors will also be able to see some old vintage tractors in the high street – a far cry from the tractors we see in our fields today. The Town Band and other local performers will also ensure there will be live music to enjoy throughout the day. 

Last but by no means least, the Wool Fair’s local shepherd will be back with his trusty dog by his side to tell you all about the life of a shepherd and to answer any questions you may have. Make sure you pop along to meet him and his dog, who loves a good fuss.

Shipston Town Council invited Police and Crime Commissioner, Philip Seccombe, to its March meeting, following the theft of the cashpoint from the Co-Op store. Councillors and members of the public were given the opportunity to put questions to the Commissioner, Inspector Dave Kettle and PC Craig Purcell.

Philip Seccombe explained that he had raised the police element of the council tax precept to its maximum level to fund 100 additional officers and police staff in Warwickshire, to be recruited over the next 12 months. The additional funding and resources will support a wide range of policing activities including safer neighbourhood teams, road and motorway officers, crime investigation and patrols.

Warwickshire Police is also setting up a new Rural Crime Team dedicated to tackling issues such as hare coursing, theft and other crimes, with a focus on prevention. More funding is also being put into tackling domestic violence, modern slavery and child sexual exploitation.

Warwickshire Police has been working as part of a comprehensive alliance with West Mercia Police, which will end in October. Warwickshire Police is now in the process of looking at new ways of delivering services, including on a standalone basis, working with other forces and external organisations,  a new collaboration with West Mercia, or a combination of these options. Mr Seccombe said: “We are rebuilding how we deliver services from the bottom up. This is likely to mean we become more responsive to Warwickshire residents and deliver a strengthened service overall.”

Inspector Dave Kettle, who is responsible for 14 safer neighbourhood teams in South Warwickshire, provided a snapshot of the demands facing the force. In the 48 hours prior to the council meeting, the force had received over 800 calls, made nearly 60 arrests and recorded over 200 crimes across the county.

Officers work closely with neighbouring police authorities to share information and track criminals.

When asked whether we should expect more crimes of the type experienced by the Co-Op store, the Inspector’s view was that these sorts of crimes would most likely remain rare but that we can all help the police by sharing information, letting officers know when something doesn’t look right and by keeping each other informed to help prevent crime happening. Particular mention was made of the valuable role Neighbourhood Watch schemes can play in reducing the risk of crime.

Town Clerk, Georgina Beaumont, said: “The Town Council would like to thank Philip Seccombe and his officers for taking the time to talk to the town council and local residents. We are keen to work with the police to do what we can to reduce the risk of our residents becoming victims of crime.”

This year is the eighth anniversary of the Shipston Litter Picking group, which launched in March 2011 as part of the town council’s ‘Proud of My Town’ campaign.  Since then, the group has met monthly to give the town an extra tidy up, enhancing the cleansing work done by the town council’s contractors on weekdays.

The core group is still going strong and meets on the first Saturday each month at New Clark House (subject to weather conditions), often joined by other residents all keen to help keep Shipston looking its best.  Over the years the group has noticed a real reduction in litter and by enhancing the existing street cleaning services by the council contractors, they provide a valuable but often overlooked service to the town. 

The group’s organiser, Fay Ivens, said, “we are a friendly bunch and have met some lovely people during our litter picking mornings.  Equipment and refreshments are provided and it is a fun and rewarding way to do something for the community. We welcome anyone who would like to come along and join us at our next litter pick on Saturday 6th April at 10am”.

Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service is offering local residents a free ‘Safe and Well’ check to reduce the risk of fires in the home.

Safe and Well visits – previously called a home fire safety check – are an important part of the fire service’s role to raise awareness of potential fire hazards and other safety concerns. A fire officer will visit to assess the hazards in your home and provide advice on how to reduce your fire risk.

Imran Dean, Engagement Officer for Warwickshire Fire and Rescue said. “Our Safe and Well visits are about more than checking you have a working smoke alarm. Our firefighters will also check for trip hazards and provide tips on avoiding falls. They will also discuss health advice such as keeping warm in winter, as well as home security.”

Feedback from some members of Shipston’s Senior Citizen Action Network suggests the visits are really useful.

Imran Dean attended Shipston Town Council’s February meeting to talk more about the fire service’s community work. The service is working hard to improve access to becoming a firefighter and is about to embark on a recruitment drive. The team is particularly keen to hear from women who may be interested in a career as a firefighter.

A career in the fire service is very varied. As well as training and active duty fighting fires, officers now provide community services including a hospital transport service to ensure vulnerable patients are returned home with support to settle back in. This new service has been piloted in the last six months and has been well received by patients.

“We are keen to expand our work with local communities,” Imran continued. “We are also hoping to become more actively involved within Shipston, through open days and inviting community groups to use our facilities.”

To book your Safe and Well visit, contact 01926 466282 or visit https://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/safeandwellvisit.

After signing on the dotted line, the Proms Committee has revealed who is playing at the 2019 Shipston Proms.

Get set for a thriller of a night when internationally renowned impersonator and top tribute sensation, David Boakes, conjures up all the moonwalking magic of Michael Jackson. Boakes will be performing his live singing, dancing, and show stopping moves on the Launch Night of the Shipston Proms on Friday 14th June.

The headliners on the last night will be tribute 90’s band Britpop Boys, who will bring their swagger and rousing 90’s anthems to the stage on Saturday 29th June. We’re promised all the popular songs from bands including Oasis, Blur and Pulp.  Also on the last night, one of the best – and local - blues bands on the UK music scene, Oliver Darling and the Living Legends, will be playing 50’s R & B, swing and rock and roll to add to the excitement.

Between the Launch Night and the Last Night the Proms will once again offer music for all tastes.  For lovers of classical music one of the world’s finest classical guitarists, Australian-born Craig Ogden and his opera-star wife mezzo soprano Claire Bradshaw will be appearing at St. Edmund’s on 20th June courtesy of the Music Society.  For a younger audience, on the middle Friday, there will be DJ set and Dance Party at the Townsend Hall hosted by legendary dance party promotor and DJ Tim Samsara.  And, of course there is the Fame Competition for all ages to enter.

More villages are set to take part in this year’s Proms. Amongst them, Halford Village Hall will be hosting a Sing a Long Sound of Music show and Long Compton will be host to the sounds of the Mississippi Delta from The Big Ginge Blues Band who are in the process of recording their first album.

With such a strong programme, the Proms team is now seeking sponsorship from local businesses as well as entrants to the fame contest. To find out more, email: shipstonproms@gmail.com or visit www.shipstonproms.org

Shipston Town Council has voted unanimously to raise its share of the council tax precept to £243,000 in 2019/20 – an increase of £11,000 compared with the current year’s precept. However, the increase will be covered by the additional number of households now paying council tax, meaning residents will effectively pay the same as this year. As such, an average Band D home will continue to pay approximately £107.88.

Mayor and Chair of the Finance Working Group, Ian Cooper, said: “The Town Council has been working hard to develop a budget that will enable us to support many of Shipston’s community groups and voluntary services, while also putting money aside to progress some of our ‘wish list’ projects. These projects are designed to enhance the town and include some of the community-led schemes identified in the Neighbourhood Plan.

“I’m particularly pleased that we have been able to reach a solution which doesn’t put additional financial pressure on residents, but makes the most of the income to be received from additional homes in the town. I would like to thank Deputy Clerk, Jayne Potter, for all her efforts in helping the Finance Working Group pull together and analyse the figures, and  my fellow councillors for their considerable input.”

Shipston Town Council’s precept is just one element of the Council Tax bill which also covers costs for the district and county councils and the Police and Crime Commissioner. Indications are that modest increases in these other elements of the Council Tax are likely.

This month will see Shipston host the Mayor’s Valentine Masked Ball in aid of local youth charities. The event takes place on Friday 15th February at the Townsend Hall.

The Ball is open to everyone and the Mayor is looking forward to seeing the Townsend Hall full of residents and visitors in their finery. Wearing masks is optional but adds a bit of fun and mystery to the evening – this could be your perfect chance to adopt a completely new persona!

Tickets cost £40, including a glass of fizz on arrival and a four course meal with wine. Entertainment will be provided by the brilliant Champagne Charlie and the Bubbly Boys.

To maximise the money raised, the Mayor is keen to hear from any local companies willing to sponsor the event or buy a table. There are also opportunities to donate to the charity raffle and auction. All proceeds will go to support the Mayor’s charities to support youth projects in the town.

Mayor, Ian Cooper, said: “It’s been a long time since the Town Council has organised a charity ball for Shipston. There’s a lot of work going on behind the scenes to make sure it’s an evening to remember which will also benefit the town’s younger residents.”

To book tickets or discuss sponsorship, please contact the Town Clerk on clerk@shipstononline.org

Shipston’s Safer Neighbourhood Team has been working hard to investigate rural crime, with many notable successes.

PC Craig Purcell and Shipston’s team of police community support officers have been taking a proactive approach to tracking down stolen property and arresting offenders. Using a mixture of established policing techniques, supported by new technology such as drones, the team has managed to return stolen goods to the rightful owners, prevented drugs from being distributed and tracked down some of the area’s “most wanted.”

The team shared its latest video with Shipston Town Council to highlight what has been going on. PC Craig Purcell describes some of the cases:

“We invited ourselves along to two operations in Cleeve Prior, knowing we have previously imprisoned people for dealing Class A drugs in Shipston that were linked to supply from that area. Using the drone, PCSO Andy Steventon guided other officers to find the male wanted under a court warrant. Acting on our own research, I then looked for evidence of drugs and soon spotted some cleared ground in woodland which had been missed in an earlier search. Officers subsequently unearthed a significant amount of Class A drugs buried underground, together with jewellery from a burglary in Ilmington.”

The team has also recovered a stolen dumper truck and caravan in Shipston as well as trailers, quad bikes, a horse trailer, and medals from other locations. These successes have largely been down to Shipston SNT’s determination to get involved in various operations, sometimes as the only Warwickshire officers present.

“We take all reported crime seriously and do our best to take action wherever possible. It’s really important that all crimes are reported to the police so that we can build an accurate picture of what is happening in and around the local area.” Craig added.

Deputy Mayor, Dan Scobie, said: “On behalf of the town, I would like to thank the Safer Neighbourhood Team for all their hard work and for taking the time to share some of their recent activities with the Town Council”.