August 2021

New Deputy Mayor

At the August meeting of the Town Council, Councillor Marianne Westwood was unanimously elected as the new Deputy Town Mayor after Councillor John Dinnie withdrew his nomination for the post in her favour.

This followed the resignation from the council of the previous Deputy Mayor Councillor Sheelagh Saunders and Councillor Peter Cowley for personal reasons.

During the meeting, Councillors paid tribute to each of them for their valuable contributions to the town.

Young People speak out about importance of Youth Club

At the Shipston Town Council meeting on 9th August, a group of local young people made an impassioned plea to the assembled Councillors to help save the Youth Club, explaining its importance to the town. Some of the speakers chose to share details of the tremendous adversity they had faced in their lives and the huge value they placed on the support offered by the team of counsellors and other staff at the club. Many of them emphasised that while Shipston may appear an idyllic rural community, there are still many disadvantaged and vulnerable young people who need professional support.

Daniel Pulham, Chair of the Youth Club’s Management Committee, explained that the Youth Club had been given a second notice of eviction by Shipston High School, but they were challenging the authority of the notice. He went on to say that he understood that the current premises might not be appropriate long term, but it was essential that the Youth Club could resume supporting vulnerable young people in the town, and the building at the school is the best and only viable option at present.

Could you be one of Shipston’s new Councillors?

Shipston Town Council currently has four Town Councillor vacancies and would like to hear from anyone interested in becoming a community leader by representing the views of Shipston residents.

We are looking for people who would like to become more involved in influencing and shaping the future of our town by improving the environment and services available in Shipston and the surrounding area. Shipston Town Council is an elected body of Councillors, including a Mayor and Deputy Mayor, who are supported by a town clerk and assistant. It is the first tier of government providing services on behalf of the residents of the town.

Formal meetings are held monthly on the second Monday of the month and there are working groups which Councillors are encouraged to join depending on their individual experience and expertise.

Councillor Peter White has been serving on the council for over seven years and is the current chair of the Communications Working Group. “I joined as Councillor to understand more about local government and to work with fellow Councillors to try and improve the town for its residents,” said Peter. “I have a young family and I’m particularly keen to hear from the younger generation on how we can improve the facilities and services available to children and young adults. It is important that young people in Shipston have a voice and are able to discuss their views about what Shipston is like to live in, it would be fantastic to hear from anyone who would like to join as a Councillor to represent the younger population.”

Please feel free to contact any of the current Councillors (see page 11) to discuss what is required for this role and how you may be able to volunteer around your current commitments.