Agenda and draft minutes

To receive apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence had been received from Councillors John Baxter, Chris Mountain and Sarah Sharpe.

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 Cabinet meeting held on 27^th January 2026 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Leader.

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 Friday 13^th February 2026.

No questions were received.

There were no recommendations.

There were no recommendations.

(A report by Emily Spicer, Assistant Director – Communities & Housing Services)

The Leader of the Council, Councillor Dale Broughton, presented a report by the Assistant Director – Communities & Housing Services, who was in attendance, which set out the refreshed South & East Lincolnshire Community Safety Strategy following a comprehensive strategic review undertaken across the South and East Lincolnshire Councils Partnership.

The Leader explained that the Strategy detailed how Boston Borough Council, South Holland District Council and East Lindsey District Council would continue to work collaboratively with key statutory partners, including Lincolnshire Police, Lincolnshire Fire & Rescue, public health bodies and the voluntary and community sector, to reduce crime, anti?social behaviour and the fear of crime across the sub?region.

Members were advised that the Strategy fulfilled the Partnership’s statutory responsibilities under Sections 5–7 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 and complemented county?level activity delivered through the Safer Lincolnshire Partnership, which discharged several duties on behalf of responsible authorities, such as public consultation and domestic abuse?related death reviews.

The Leader highlighted that the Strategy had been developed using a wide evidence base, including police data, local health information, the Lincolnshire Strategic Needs Assessment, and findings from recent consultation and engagement exercises. This process identified four clear priorities for the Partnership:

1. Tackling anti?social behaviour, particularly neighbour?related issues;
2. Improving understanding of fear of crime and wider perceptions;
3. Supporting the Safer Lincolnshire Partnership’s place?based, project?driven approach; and
4. Encouraging increased reporting to strengthen the local intelligence picture.

The Leader further noted that the Strategy had been reviewed by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee as part of the annual Crime and Disorder review, receiving support for its aims, evidence base and alignment with local priorities.

During discussion, Members conveyed their best wishes to a colleague who was absent following a recent operation.

The meeting recognised the substantial contribution made by the Community Safety Officers since taking up their posts. It was noted that between August and December they had undertaken extensive patrols, during which 38 individuals had been approached for drinking alcohol within the Public Spaces Protection Order area, and 32 pieces of intelligence had been passed to Lincolnshire Police to support ongoing enforcement and problem?solving activity.

Members referred to recent information provided by the Chief Constable at the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, which indicated overall crime in Boston was down 1.7% year on year, with serious violence with injury down 13% and violence without injury down 13.3%. These figures were regarded as encouraging evidence of the impact of joint working and targeted activity.

The meeting further noted that the Community Safety Officers were regarded as approachable and visible within the community, regularly engaging with residents, local businesses and visitors to the town. Their work extended beyond the town centre, with patrols also taking place in surrounding neighbourhoods and parish areas, contributing to wider reassurance and early intervention.

Members discussed the importance of maintaining an intelligence?led approach to policing. It was emphasised that accurate and timely reporting of incidents by the public was essential, as failure to report concerns  ...  view the full minutes text for item 59.

(A report by Russell Stone, Director of Finance (S151 Officer))

The Portfolio Holder for Finance and Economic Growthpresented the Annual Budget Report 2026/27, together with the Medium Term Financial Strategy, Capital Programme, Capital Strategy, Treasury Management Policy/Strategy, and the Annual Delivery Plan, as set out in the published agenda. The Director of Finance (S151 Officer) and the Head of Finance Delivery – BBC (PSPSL) were in attendance to support, and the Interim Finance Consultant was in attendance virtually.

The Portfolio Holder outlined the national and local financial context within which the proposals had been developed, referring to the late confirmation of the Local Government Finance Settlement, the implications of the Government’s Fair Funding Review, and ongoing pressures including inflation, increased service demand and the impact of the Internal Drainage Board levy.

Members were advised that the budget had been through all relevant committees, with every Member given the opportunity to ask questions during the scrutiny process. It was noted that despite significant challenges, the proposed budget for 2026/27 presented a balanced position without requiring in?year efficiency savings.

The Leader recorded his thanks to the Finance Team for their extensive work in bringing forward the budget and highlighted the importance of understanding how Council Tax income was apportioned, particularly in light of the pressures created by the IDB levy. It was noted that the proposals had been examined thoroughly, ensuring that all Members had ample opportunity to ask questions and scrutinise the detail.

Members discussed the ongoing impact of the Internal Drainage Board (IDB) levy, confirming that it continued to place significant pressure on the Council’s finances. Reference was made to how little of every £10 of Council Tax income was retained by the Borough Council once statutory precepts were applied, demonstrating the scale of the issue.

Although the report contained a substantial amount of financial information, Members considered the key message to be that the Council had managed its resources responsibly, despite the negative effects of national funding arrangements, some of which had not fully met local needs. It was observed that the authority remained in a stronger financial position than many councils within the county, with others facing considerably larger budget gaps.

Appreciation was expressed for the commitment and hard work of staff throughout what had been a challenging period, particularly with Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) underway. Members noted that the authority was on course to leave the organisation in a healthy financial position, and recorded their admiration for the professionalism shown across the organisation. Thanks were extended to the wider team for achieving a balanced position under difficult circumstances, and it was emphasised that, as LGR progressed, the priority for any future authority would need to remain the residents of Boston, with strong financial discipline essential to ensuring the borough was transferred in a stable and responsible condition.

Members welcomed the fact that the Council had not needed to seek Government permission to raise Council Tax above the 3% limit, viewing this as further evidence of prudent financial management.

The meeting recognised that this had been  ...  view the full minutes text for item 60.