Agenda and minutes

To receive apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors Alison Austin and Patsie Marson.

To receive declarations of interests in respect of any item on the agenda.

No declarations of interest were received.

To sign and confirm the minutes of the last meeting.

The minutes of the meeting held on 24^th July 2025 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chairman, subject to clarification that Councillor Jonathan Noble had asked Inspector Cotton about the rate of crimes solved and successful prosecutions rather than crime outcome rates, and that this information had not been provided.

To report progress on outstanding actions from the minutes of the last meeting, for information only.

The Assistant Director – Leisure and Local Services provided updates on matters not otherwise covered by the agenda:

Tour of assets and open spaces

Earlier in the day, several members of the Committee and officers undertook a tour of BTAC assets and open spaces, visiting seven sites. The outcome of the tour was that some painting work would be undertaken and the replacement of safety surfaces at certain sites would require investment. Other issues identified, during the tour, including dog fouling, bins and signage were already being addressed. A report on the tour would be presented to the Committee, most likely at the January meeting.

Central Park security

At the March meeting, the Committee agreed that the contract for security and gate locking at Central Park would not be renewed after 31^st August and that a Working Group would be established to consider future arrangements. The Working Group met earlier in September following an extensive period of investigation by officers and Lincolnshire Police to explore alternative options that were both viable and affordable. Lincolnshire Police had expressed concerns about the gates being left unlocked overnight, and options had been considered including the Police taking responsibility for locking the gates with Council staff unlocking them. Despite exhaustive enquiries, no operationally viable and affordable alternative had been identified.

Since 1^st September, the gates had remained unlocked and the Council’s Community Safety Team, CCTV Team and Environmental Health Team had monitored incidents. To date, there had been one report of alleged drug use in the park and no incidents recorded by CCTV or reported to Environmental Health. It was hoped that incidents would reduce further when British Summertime ended. A further meeting of the Working Group would take place before a report was brought to the Committee on long-term options. The Working Group comprised of Councillors Dorrian and Gleeson following Councillor Ghosh’s resignation, and any additional members wishing to join were invited to notify Democratic Services.

Highways

The Overview and Scrutiny Committee had invited Lincolnshire County Council’s Portfolio Holder for Highways to attend a meeting on 4^th September, but he was unable to attend due to ill health. It was now anticipated that he would attend in December, and BTAC members were welcome to attend.

It was also noted that Lincolnshire County Council’s Road Safety Manager would be attending an Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting on 2^nd October, which BTAC members were also welcome to attend.

Community Governance Review (CGR)

The CGR Working Group met on 25^th September to consider the outcome of the Phase One consultation. A total of 126 responses had been received, with a clear majority in favour of establishing a single parish council for Boston Town. The Group had agreed to progress to the next stage of the review, including drafting proposals for a single parish council based on the existing BTAC area, with consideration given to the inclusion of nearby unparished areas. Draft recommendations would be prepared for Full Council in November, with  ...  view the full minutes text for item 24.

To answer any written questions received from members of the public no later than 5 p.m. two clear working days prior to the meeting – for this meeting the deadline is 5 p.m. on 22^nd September 2025.

No public questions were received.

To allow members of the public to address the Committee.

The Committee was addressed by two public speakers: Mrs Hazel Webster, followed by Mr Jonathan Wolf.

Mrs Webster gave a presentation and spoke about Boston town centre, public transport in the town and the re-routing of the Fenside bus service which had occurred approximately one year ago. She explained that the removal of the bus route through Straight Bargate had caused considerable inconvenience and physical difficulty for passengers, many of whom were elderly or had mobility issues. She highlighted the lack of consultation prior to the change and described the challenges faced by residents in accessing essential services and shops located along Wide Bargate, including medical facilities and food stores. Mrs Webster argued that reinstating the original route would significantly improve quality of life for affected residents and suggested alternative routing options via John Adams Way if a full reinstatement was not possible. She also raised concerns about the current bus stop arrangements near Boots, describing them as congested and unsuitable, and proposed reinstating the former stop near Savers to alleviate these issues.

[A copy of the presentation is appended to the minutes.]

Following Mrs Webster’s presentation, the Committee discussed the points raised. Members acknowledged the concerns expressed and noted that responsibility for bus services rests with Lincolnshire County Council. It was agreed that a copy of Mrs Webster’s presentation would be forwarded to the County Council for their consideration. In addition, Councillor Gilbert undertook to write to Mrs Webster in response to her concerns. During discussion, Members highlighted that the Council had previously explored options with the bus operator and the County Council, including the reinstatement of the Savers bus stop, but these had not progressed. Members also noted that the County Council had invested in the CallConnect service as an alternative to traditional bus routes and suggested that further information on its usage could be sought.

Mr Jonathan Wolf then addressed the Committee regarding the display of England flags on lampposts around Boston. He expressed concern that the flags had been placed without permission and were being used as a form of intimidation towards foreign nationals, which he considered unacceptable and damaging to community cohesion. Mr Wolf asked what steps the Council intended to take to remove the flags and prevent similar occurrences in the future.

The Committee discussed the issue raised by Mr Wolf and acknowledged the sensitivity of the matter. Members confirmed that responsibility for lampposts lies with Lincolnshire County Council and that BTAC does not have the authority to remove items from County Council assets. It was agreed that Mr Wolf’s comments would be forwarded to the County Council, requesting clarification on their approach to the removal or maintenance of flags should they become worn or damaged. Members emphasised that this was not a request for immediate removal but for clarification on the County Council’s policy. During discussion, Members noted the importance of promoting community cohesion and agreed that the Committee should represent the views expressed by Mr Wolf while recognising that opinions on the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 26.

(A report by Brendan Arnold, Interim Director of Finance (S151 Officer))

The Committee received a report from the Head of Finance Delivery (PSPSL) which provided an overview of the financial position of BTAC as at the end of the Quarter 1 for the financial year 2025/6. The purpose of the report was to ensure that the forecast position for the year was considered and that reserve sums held were noted, supporting Members in maintaining financial probity and making informed decisions regarding future spending within the BTAC area.

The report summarised the position across all service areas and highlighted a forecast overspend of £907, as detailed in Appendix A – Table 1 attached within the report. The anticipated reserve balance at 31^st March 2026 was £289,192, which included the minimum required reserve of £70,000. The opening reserve balance on 1 April 2025 had been £293,825.

The Head of Finance Delivery explained the main variances:

·         Open spaces and play areas showed a projected overspend of £12,130, primarily due to additional employee costs following a staffing role change from Events.

·         Central Park reflected a surplus position of £8,734, largely due to the cessation of the gate locking service from August.

·         Public Conveniences had an overspend of £11,339, attributed to increased material costs and an anticipated shortfall in income from fees and charges, based on Quarter 1 actuals. This was partly offset by income from Mayfair and the Autumn Fare events.

·         Events showed a forecast surplus of £22,676, resulting from the movement of employee costs to Open Spaces and additional income of £8,000 from space hire for the Autumn Fair.

·         Administration recorded a saving of £26,144, primarily relating to the street cleaning service review.

Members sought clarification on several points during discussion:

·         The overspend on the cash collection service for public conveniences was explained as resulting from a change in collection arrangements, moving from in-house collection by Council staff to an external provider. Officers agreed to explore whether a return to the previous, cheaper method was possible.

·         Questions were raised regarding the agency costs for a vacant post within Public Conveniences, the removal of the Markets Officer post, and the nature of the Autumn Fair income. Officers undertook to provide further details outside the meeting.

·         Members also queried the absence of expenditure against the street cleaning budget line, which was clarified as a saving following a service review that determined the charge was not necessary for BTAC.

Further discussion took place on the reserve position. Members noted that the current reserve balance was significantly above the minimum requirement and considered whether some of the funds could be used to promote Boston town centre or enhance tourism as part of BTAC’s legacy. It was agreed that this matter would be considered during the forthcoming budget-setting process, alongside advice from the Section 151 Officer. Officers reminded Members that the figures presented were Quarter 1 projections and did not reflect commitments for the remainder of the year.

1.    Resolved:

That the forecast overspend of £907 for 2025/26, as detailed in Appendix A – Table 1, be  ...  view the full minutes text for item 27.

(The Committee’s work programme for the current year for discussion and/or updating.)

The Committee received an update from the Assistant Director – Leisure and Local Services on the current and forthcoming items scheduled for inclusion in the Boston Town Area Committee’s Work Programme for the 2025/26 municipal year. Members noted that the Work Programme had been updated to include a report on future BTAC events, which was originally scheduled for this meeting but would now be considered at the meeting on 27^th November 2025. It was also confirmed that Lincolnshire Housing Partnership had agreed to attend the November meeting to provide its biennial update.

During discussion, Members considered additional items for inclusion. Councillor Lina Savickiene raised a previous request from a local student regarding the provision of a bike/skate park in Boston and asked whether it could be incorporated into the Work Programme. It was agreed that the matter would be included within the report scheduled for January 2026 on the tour of open spaces and assets, allowing Members to consider options and associated costs.

Members also reflected on the arrangements for the recent tour of BTAC assets and noted that the minibus provided had not been fully utilised. It was suggested that, for future tours, Members might consider sharing cars as an alternative to hiring a vehicle. This would be reviewed when planning the next tour.

The Committee noted the updated Work Programme and agreed the proposed additions.

Resolved:

That the Work Programme be noted, subject to the inclusion of a report on the potential provision of a bike/skate park within the January 2026 report on open spaces and assets.

(A report by Maddy Eyre, Community Leadership Officer and BTAC Grant Administrator.)

The Committee received an update from the Assistant Director – Leisure and Local Services on the status of the Small Grant Scheme for Round 2 of the 2025/26 financial year.

It was reported that a total of four eligible applications had been received during the most recent round. The recommendations were presented to the Committee in line with its delegated authority to make community development grants to town-based organisations and events.

It was confirmed that approval would be provided to the applications contained in Appendix 1 within the report, as follows:

1) A grant of £1,000 would be awarded to Citzens Advice Mid Lincolnshire Contribution towards the cost of translation services currently provided by Language Line, to support clients from within the BTAC wards of Boston, whose first language was not English.

2) A grant of £950 would be awarded to Fenside Community Centre to cover the cost of small capital costs associated with putting on a Halloween and a Christmas event at Fenside Community Centre in 2025.

3) A grant of £975 would be awarded to Taylor Itex CIC Contribution towards the cost of running their autistic adult support group for a 10-week period in 2025.

4) A grant of £1,000 Boston Wheelers would be awarded to Go Ride Project Contribution towards the cost of small capital and small revenue costs associated with providing free cycling classes to young people from within the BTAC area.

The recommendations were proposed by Councillor Anne Dorrian and seconded by Councillor Anton Dani.

Resolved:

That the grant funding award recommendations made by the BTAC Grants Working Group in respect of eligible applications, as set out within Appendix 1, be approved.

At the conclusion of this item, Members were informed that a Mayoral Reception had been held on 3^rd September to celebrate the achievements of successful grant recipients from the previous year. The event provided an opportunity for the Communications Team to conduct interviews and produce a promotional video to support the ongoing publicity for the BTAC Grant Scheme.

To consider resolving - That under Section 100(A)(iv) of the Local Government Act 1972 the public and press be excluded from the meeting for the following item of business on the grounds that it involves the likely disclosure of exempt information as defined in Paragraph 3 of Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Act (as amended).

 Appendix 1 - BTAC Working Group recommendations

Due to the Committee’s approval of the previous recommendation, this item was not required.