Parish Council & All-Village Announcements

Report: Parish Council Round-up January – February 2026

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20 February, 2026

The Parish Council met on the 26th of January in the pavilion. Notable on the agenda was to discuss and agree the precept for the Parish for the next financial year – a break down of which is below.

Parish Council activities are funded primarily via a funding precept attached to the Council Tax Bill issued by Stratford District Council. Each year, the Parish Council must decide its priorities and how it will fund these. For 2026 we have continued to prioritise public safety and resilience in the village. We are focused particularly on the following:

  • Reducing speeding along main routes
  • Ensuring that the village has appropriate street lighting
  • Preventing or mitigating (as far as possible) flooding in the village.

In 2026 we are increasing the focus paid to road safety. Acting on this issue now is important as rising housing numbers in Shipston will drive substantially more commuter traffic through the village, increasing the risk to pedestrians of all ages. We have been working with partners to secure grant funding from the Highways Community Action Fund and also fundraising activities via the Community Speed Watch. This alone will not generate sufficient funding for the measures required. To enable us to make the necessary investment a one off increase of £51,000 is to be made to the precept in 2026 bringing the total precept to £72,774 for the year. This equates to an average of £7.34 per month though this figure will vary depending on your council tax band.

Our investments will focus initially on a safety zone around the school including warning signs and flashing lights with a 20mph speed limit during drop off/pick up. We will also use the funding for incremental work such as a raised zebra crossing and, potentially, fencing in the area to control crossing points for children and deter excessive parental parking.

As well as supporting safety and security throughout the village, we are leaning into our sustainability objectives by exploring technology solutions around energy efficiency and reduction of light pollution as much as possible as we restore and replace village lighting.

We will continue to provide funding for the automatic defibrillators in the village. We are reinstalling the defibrillator previously housed outside the gate. Recognising its value at the heart of our community we will continue to support the Village Hall.

The Parish Council is mindful of cost of living pressures on all of us. We firmly believe that these are value driven investments to support villagers, enhance safety and protect our community. If you or someone you know is struggling financially, there are charities within the village that can help. For help with educational related costs for those under 25 please contact the Free School Foundation. Contact: hi*******@*****il.com

‘The Brailes Charities’ provides grants and assistance for those who reside in the parish or have a close connection to the village. For more information please contact: ad***@******************es.me

Traffic Calming

In addition to what is laid out above we discussed the possibility of employing a lollipop person to bridge the gap between now and the installation of the school safety zone. The hope being such a role could also deter parking outside the school on the main road which is proving all the more hazardous. Thanks again go to Roy Rogers and the Community Speed Watch group for organising fundraising for the school safety zone as well as for their regular speed monitoring events.

Flooding

We are awaiting an un-redacted version of the County Council report into the landslip behind orchard close, which has significantly narrowed Sutton Brook. County Cllr Jo Barker will follow up on this for us.

Housing Needs Survey:

Just a quick reminder to keep an eye out for and, when available, to please fill in the housing needs survey! Your thoughts are vital to help us influence any future development in Brailes in a way that ensures what is built is in the interests of the parish.

Upcoming meetings are 23rd February and 20th March at 7:00pm in the Pavilion, all are welcome to attend and raise a topic for discussion; we hope to see you there.

Ronan Woods, Anne Sayers, Darren Mellor-Clark
Contact:
Clerk Amanda Wasdell – Email: br****************@*****ok.com
Call: 07710 554 987
Website: https://brailes-pc.gov.uk

Public Consultation on Local Government Reorganisation – YOUR OPINION REQUESTED

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15 February, 2026

IMPORTANT NOTICE

The Government is carrying out a public consultation on the re-organisation of local government in Warwickshire – the public’s input is sought and the deadline is Thursday March 26th. 

WE CAN HAVE OUR SAY HERE :

https://consult.communities.gov.uk/local-government-reorganisation/warwickshire/

We have two choices:

A single unitary council for all of Warwickshire. Proposed by:

(1) Warwickshire County Council, and (2) Rugby Borough

Includes: North Warwickshire, Nuneaton and Bedworth, Rugby, Stratford-on-Avon, and Warwick 

You can read the proposal by clicking here: Warwickshire single unitary proposal

Two unitary councils in Warwickshire. Proposed by:

(1) North Warwickshire Borough Council, (2) Nuneaton & Bedworth Borough Council, (3) Stratford-on-Avon District Council, (4) Warwick District

North unitary authority: North Warwickshire, Nuneaton & Bedworth, and Rugby​ 

South unitary authority: Stratford-on-Avon, and Warwick 

You can read the proposal by clicking here: Warwickshire 2 unitary proposal 

A single unitary council for all of Warwickshire. Proposed by:

(1) Warwickshire County Council, and (2) Rugby Borough

Includes: North Warwickshire, Nuneaton and Bedworth, Rugby, Stratford-on-Avon, and Warwick 

You can read the proposal by clicking here: Warwickshire single unitary proposal

Two unitary councils in Warwickshire. Proposed by:

(1) North Warwickshire Borough Council, (2) Nuneaton & Bedworth Borough Council, (3) Stratford-on-Avon District Council, (4) Warwick District

North unitary authority: North Warwickshire, Nuneaton & Bedworth, and Rugby​ 

South unitary authority: Stratford-on-Avon, and Warwick

You can read the proposal by clicking here: Warwickshire 2 unitary proposal 

HOW to fill out the consultation

1 . Click this link https://consult.communities.gov.uk/local-government-reorganisation/warwickshire/

2 . Click “SHARE YOUR VIEWS”

3 . Click “Tell us about yourself” to start your submission. When you have finished each section press “Continue” at the bottom of the page to return to this page to do the next section.

4 . When you have completed the sections it should look something like this below. If you are happy with your submission you can press “Finish”

5 . The final step to confirm submission. Press “Submit Response”. You will then see a confirmation message with a ‘Response ID’ for you to take note of, and a link to download a copy of your submission in pdf format.

Ultimately this change affects everyone in the parish, including who will represent us and where accountability will lie for the provision of all local government services the parish relies upon. 

Please do take a few minutes to fill out the form to let the Government and local councils know which of the two you feel is best for Brailes.

Letter from Elizabeth Gray

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2 November, 2025

Most Brailes folks will be aware of the excellent work of the Free School Foundation, that quietly effective registered charity with centuries old roots that makes generous grants, firstly to St. George’s Church, then to Brailes School, then to individuals under 25 in need of financial assistance for education and training, and finally to other projects of benefit to the younger members of the community. This charity doesn’t have a fundraising presence in the village due to the fact that it receives its yearly income from a portfolio of sound investments. No box rattling needed here. They also manage a number of historic village properties including the Free School and Brailes Institute. Built in 1886, The Institute was, for many years, used as a venue for various events including my great aunts’ and uncles’ wedding receptions, my grandma’s wedding reception, family 21st birthday parties, various clubs and, of course, was for many years the home of Brailes Mechanical and Craft Society, as well as being used as a workshop. According to the Brailes Village website, ‘In 2002, the Charity Commissioners transferred the Brailes Institute (held by the Vicar and Churchwardens) to the Foundation, in order to ensure its long term future.’ Since this handover, however, The Institute has been used less and less as a venue, with Brailes Mechanical and Craft relocating to the, probably more comfortable but, arguably, less characterful, Village Hall for their monthly meetings and the building being locked up, unheated and unmaintained for a number of years now. Its unsurprising decline has been visible from the outside with the smart green paintwork I remember from my childhood becoming faded and peeling.

Despite this, many villagers were shocked, back in December of last year, to see a ‘For Sale’ sign affixed to the wall of The Institute. There were many questions asked and concerns raised, particularly in correspondence to The Feldon News and on the village Facebook page. The overwhelming majority of voices were against the sale, since locals understand that The Institute was given to the village as a community asset. An article appeared in the Stratford Herald on 5th January 2025 which contained the following paragraph:

“The Rev George Heighton, the vicar of Brailes, who chairs the foundation’s board of trustees, told the Herald it would not be appropriate for the charity to spend money on repairs when it should be using the funds for local good causes. Every year it provides thousands of pounds for the village school and for young people in the locality, which is the sole purpose of its existence.”

Heated discussion continued online, anger grew and the matter was raised at the Parish Council meeting in January. It wasn’t long before the ‘For Sale’ sign was taken down and a builder’s board was placed outside. Perhaps readers thought, as I did, that the Free School Foundation had listened to the village and was undertaking repairs to the building in order to, as the village website says, ‘ensure its long term future’. However, it seems that this was not the case. After a summer of no public announcements from the trustees regarding The Institute, an A4 notice was placed in one of the Friar’s Lane windows of the building some time in September, informing interested parties that the sale of The Institute had, in fact, proceeded and comments regarding this were invited with a cut off date of 3rd October. This notice was placed in order to comply with Article s.121(2) of the Charities Act 2011 (which is worth a read). 

I happened to see a picture of this notice on the village Facebook page and decided to do some research into this paragraph of the Charities Act and, as a part of that process and bearing in mind the article which appeared in the Stratford Herald, I looked up the Free School Foundation’s objectives. These are easy to access on the Charities Commission website – the ‘Trustees’ Report and Accounts for the Year Ended 31 December 2023’ is freely available for public scrutiny and very much worth reading in its entirety (please note: the charity’s registered name is ‘Free School Charity’, charity number 1001761 and the useful documents are filed under ‘Accounts and Annual Returns’). I was dismayed to find that the charity’s PRIMARY objective is, in fact, ‘To manage and maintain the Free School and Institute in Lower Brailes’ using income derived by the Charity from its investments. Between two fifths and one half of the EXCESS of the income, over and above the expenses incurred by the maintenance of the Free School and Institute is then to be awarded to St George’s Church via the Parochial Church Council, with the remainder being made available to, primarily, Brailes School with subsequent grants available as outlined at the beginning of this letter.

I was a charity trustee for a number of years, and was in office as we made the transition to being registered with the Charities Commission. Therefore I’m well aware of how important it is for charities to operate with transparency and within the binding framework outlined by the commission in order, amongst other things, to maintain the good reputation of the charity and of the Charities Commission as a whole. It seems to me that the Free School Foundation has chosen to neglect its primary purpose as custodians of important and historic village heritage – the records available on the Charities Commission website are limited, but what they do show is that nothing at all is recorded as being spent on maintaining The Institute for the period of 2018 to 2023. Buildings that are left shut up, unheated over several winters will, of course, deteriorate rapidly and, having missed the ‘stitch in time’, The Institute now needs ‘nine’ in order to bring it back to the state of repair the Free School Foundation was entrusted with maintaining. Being a trustee, and especially a trustee of a registered charity with a history that goes back to 1433, is a privilege of service, whether it feels that way or not. The current trustees are a link in a long chain, not the end of the line. Community heritage can take many forms – the music and dance of Ilmington Morris that we all enjoy beside the lichgate on St. George’s Day, the liturgical rites and prayers that mark the saints days and seasons of the church calendar, passed down through the generations as a source of inspiration and comfort, or the solid, tangible brick on brick of a building soaked in the stories of our village.  Given the above, I would invite the Free School Foundation to halt the proposed sale of our shared heritage, which would lead to yet another irreversible loss to the village, and engage meaningfully with the community. It was the village that raised the money to repair The Institute back in 1926 after a devastating fire destroyed the now ailing roof and, given the opportunity and the strength of feeling expressed online and elsewhere, I feel confident that the village would rally to put The Institute back on track and available to the community as it was always intended to be. 

Sincerely, Elizabeth Gray

Report: Parish Council October 2025

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1 November, 2025

The PC met on the 27th of October in the Pavilion

School Safety Zone

Top of the agenda was to discuss the proposed “school safety zone”. This plan proposes to erect 3 sets of flashing “20mph” signs around the school to operate at drop off and home time. In addition we are keen to receive a quote for a raised crossing opposite the shops to reduce the speed of traffic. A separate bank account has been opened for the Brailes Community Speed watch so fundraising can begin. We await a complete quote from the County Council, which will give us a target to work towards.  Thanks again go to Roy Rogers and the Brailes CSW for their work in encouraging safer driving in the village and keeping the discussion alive. 


Housing Needs Survey 

The PC is organising another housing needs survey – this comes at a crucial moment as pressure from central government to build more homes continues. We gained a lot of useful insight at our village consultation day but a comprehensive survey is vital to guide future development and ensure the homes that are built are accessible and the right kind of properties for the people of Brailes. We are exploring the possibility of offering an online and paper survey to improve response uptake, more to follow. 


Flooding 

Sandbags are still available for villagers to use in the event of a flood and are located in the George car park and on the upper green (behind the grit bin on the roadside). Some gulley’s have been cleared but appear to have filled again with silt so County Councillor Jo Barker will request they are seen to again. 


Community Speed Watch

On average 230 vehicles are still exceeding 35mph each day in Brailes. There was discussion at the meeting as to whether extending the village hall car park could solve the problem of parents parking on the roadside to drop off and collect their children from school. 


Remembrance Sunday

It was good to see so many villagers come to pay their respects at the war memorial on Remembrance Sunday. As we come together with our families this Christmas let us remember those whose families have been separated by war and those who fought to protect the community we enjoy in Brailes today. 


Our next meeting will be in the Pavilion at 7:00pm on the 26th of January 2026! We hope to see you there. All are welcome and anyone can raise a topic for discussion. 

Merry Christmas!
Ronan Woods 

Contact:
Clerk Amanda Wasdell br****************@*****ok.com   07710 554 987
Website: https://brailes-pc.gov.uk

New Playground Slide installed!

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9 October, 2025

Exciting News – Our New Slide is Here!

We’re thrilled to announce that the brand new slide is now in place at the play area – and one or two have been down today already!

This fantastic addition wouldn’t have been possible without the amazing support from our community:

– A huge THANK YOU to The Brailes Free School Foundation, who funded 50% of the cost.

– Big thanks also to The Forge Garage Ltd for generously funding 25%.

The final part was made possible through Brailes Show and various community fundraising events.

It’s been a real joint effort – and we’re so grateful to everyone who’s helped make it happen!

But we’re not stopping here! To keep the play area safe, clean, and fun for everyone, we’re looking for volunteers to join our team and help with fundraising and upkeep. Just a little of your time can make a big difference.

If you’re interested in getting involved, please send us a message. Let’s keep this a brilliant space for all our children to enjoy!
#BrailesPlayArea #CommunitySpirit #ThankYou #VolunteerWithUs

Harvest Festival 2025 – Report

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9 October, 2025

The St George’s 900 Committee thank everyone who contributed in any way to the 900th Harvest Festival on 5th October.  The Church looked fantastic; full of people, and of flowers, fruit and vegetables – most of it from the gardens of Brailes and Winderton.

One regular worshipper said it was ‘Just like the harvest festivals we had when we were kids’; another, ‘I’ve been coming here for years and I’ve never seen so much produce in the Church’.

But it got even better.  On Tuesday, the charity Fare Share picked up all the produce to take to their warehouse in Didcot.  There, young people with special educational needs will learn warehousing skills by sorting the food and transferring the inventory onto the computer. 

After which any of the hundred and ninety plus organisations that Fare Share supports, can “order” what they need and it will be packed and delivered to them.

So the village got the old-fashioned Harvest Festival that it wanted, some people received training to help them into work and a lot of deserving organisations received locally produced food.  Success for everyone!

The Sycamore and The Vicarages

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2 September, 2025

You may have seen coverage in both local and national newspapers recently of this dispute about the 250-year-old sycamore tree which stands in the grounds of the old vicarage in Lower Brailes. This house dates back to the 1700s, and changed hands to private ownership in 1982. The Diocese of Coventry want the tree to be felled, or a root barrier installed, because of an alleged threat of subsidence to the adjoining new vicarage which was built in the 1980s after the land was divided. The new house has suffered a burst water main. Without any prior discussions Richard and Melanie Gray received a letter from the legal agents working for the church’s insurance company for reimbursement of the estimated cost of £70,000 once the work is completed. Richard Gray commented ‘To have a threatening letter sent out of the blue by the church doesn’t seem to fit in with their Christian ethos when they are a spiritual organisation supposedly looking out for the local community.’ In a separate report from January 2023 Richard Gray says that engineers working for the diocese deemed the tree to not be at fault blaming hot weather for the subsidence. The debate continues.

Report: Parish Council Meeting July 28th

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25 August, 2025

Consultation Results 

Many thanks to those who attended the village consultation to give their views on speed calming, housing, and lighting. For our write up this month we are publishing a summary of both the lighting and housing survey responses taken on the day as well as feedback on speed calming. Minutes of our last meeting are available on the website and on the Parish Council noticeboard outside the school. 

Lighting:

Summary 

A majority of respondents said the current amount of streetlights in Brailes is “about right” (12 out of 21). No one advocated for more lights.
 
Though villagers think the number of lights is okay many appear to feel they are too intrusive and that dimmable, sensor, “warm”, or shrouded lights would be better. (11 respondents favoured one or multiple of these approaches)

8 respondents indicated a positive attitude toward “dark skies”.

10 respondents suggested side streetlights should not even be replaced if they were to break, which seems to further suggest the current intensity of lighting is excessive. 

There is almost a 50/50 split over having traditional or standard style lights (9 traditional, 10 standard) 

Those most vocal about having no lights at all concede lighting along the main road is still sensible to ensure road safety and safety for children. 

Locations of interest

Winderton Road/New Park Cottages – there are two lights close together here which appears excessive.
Orchard Close – According to one respondent the broken light in Orchard close has still not been replaced with a solar substitute.
High Street/B4035 – A majority of respondents who live on the main road suggested the current level of lighting was about right (5 vs 3 who said there was too much)

Environmental/Sustainability Impact 
3 responses highlighted the damage LED’s cause to insect life and the knock on effect this has to birds and amphibians. 
1 response suggested lighting is a wasteful use of fossil fuels. 
1 response, who also mentioned dark skies, wanted to go for whatever option is most sustainable in the long run. 

Housing in Brailes:

The community members of Brailes express mixed views on a proposed housing development, highlighting concerns about location, affordability, environmental impact, and infrastructure. The feedback reflects a balance between the need for sensible village growth and preserving local heritage and environment.

Diverse opinions on development location: Some see the site as suitable and in line with village growth needs, while others oppose it due to proximity to heritage sites and agricultural land. Concerns about access roads and traffic were also raised.

Affordability and housing type concerns: Affordability is a key issue, with calls for more affordable and rental housing for local residents. The number of houses (16) is generally considered acceptable, though some prefer fewer homes to allow better space and access.

Environmental and infrastructure considerations: Respondents emphasize the importance of biodiversity, sustainable building standards, and green spaces. Key infrastructure concerns include sewage capacity, drainage, flooding, and traffic management.

Community benefits and planning adherence: Some feedback stresses that funding from the development should return to the parish for local improvements, and that the proposal aligns with neighbourhood development plan guidelines, though there is worry about potential future overexpansion.

10 for
5 against
3 mixed

Speeding

Speed Watch:
The Brailes Community speed watch received unanimous feedback on the day in support of a school safety zone, zebra crossing, and speed tables at several locations in the village. The group has the full support of the Parish Council. We hope to keep working together to finally tackle the problem of speeding in the village.

Now that this information has been collated, the PC will meet in sub groups to discuss how to move forward with each area.
If you were not able to attend the consultation day please contact us with your thoughts!

Contact: 07710554987
Email: br****************@*****ok.com

Next Meeting Dates: 
Sept 29th
Oct 27th
Dec 8th

All are welcome to attend our meetings, your input ensures we take actions for the community as a whole, so if you’d like to raise a point or find out more about what’s going on in the parish please do come along. 

Ronan Woods & Louise Appleton