The Boston Town Area Committee (BTAC) met on Thursday 11 June 2026, electing Councillor Barrie Pierpoint as Chair and Councillor Patricia Marson as Vice-Chair. Key discussions included the allocation of the £1.5 million Pride in Place Impact Fund for town centre improvements, the draft financial outturn for 2025/26 showing an underspend, and aspirations for play area improvements across the BTAC area.

Election of Chair and Vice-Chair

Councillor Barrie Pierpoint was elected as the Chair of the Boston Town Area Committee (BTAC) for the municipal year 2026/27, following a debate regarding his suitability for the role. Councillor Patricia Marson was subsequently elected as Vice-Chair.

Update on Actions from Previous Meeting

Phil Perry, Service Director for Leisure and Local Services, provided an update on actions from the previous meeting. He noted that requests for information regarding highways matters from Lincolnshire County Council had been progressed through a written response, with a protocol established for future inquiries to be directed through locally elected county councillors.

Regarding the Green Flag award assessment for Central Park, a judge had visited on 8 May 2026. While the judge found the visit informative and acknowledged the park's standard, the final outcome and any recommendations are expected by the end of June.

On the matter of security at Central Park, since the decision not to renew the gate locking service in August 2025, there had been 13 reports of alleged criminal behaviour between September 2025 and the last committee meeting. Since March, one allegation of a firearm being seen was reported, though nothing substantive was confirmed by police. Lincolnshire Police have flagged Central Park as a hotspot area for serious violent crime and are awaiting analytical work to identify trends.

Councillor Mike Gilbert, Chair of the Community Governance Review (CGR) Working Group, provided an update on the CGR. The consultation indicated strong support for creating a town council for the BTAC area. The results also suggested that the unparished area of Wibberton should remain within the BTAC area rather than moving to Wibberton parish. The next steps involve considering assets as the process moves towards a report to full council.

Councillor Anne Dorrian raised concerns about the lack of attendance from Lincolnshire County Council's Portfolio Holder for Highways at previous meetings, contrasting this with the committee's expectation for local officials to be present.

Boston Town Board

Claire Foster, Interim Chair of the Boston Town Board, provided an update on the Pride in Place programme. This 10-year vision, developed through extensive community consultation, aims to regenerate Boston by improving public realm, supporting businesses, enhancing connectivity, and utilising heritage assets. The programme has received significant interest, with 63 projects put forward. The town centre is a major priority, focusing on vibrancy, attractiveness, and distinctiveness. The programme also aims to drive civic pride, visitor numbers, and economic growth, with links to the Boston Cultural Compact. Foster highlighted that the programme is as much about people as place, with a focus on community capacity, skills, wellbeing, and social cohesion. Visible progress is a priority for the next two years, with a subgroup reviewing projects for quick wins. The subgroup's findings will be presented to the full board on 22 June for approval to proceed.

Pride in Place Impact Fund

Maria Cotton, Service Director for Culture and Regeneration, presented the Pride in Place Impact Fund, a £1.5 million allocation from central government for practical, visible improvements across Boston Borough. The funding is separate from the 10-year Pride in Place programme. The report outlined a proposed programme structure with £750,000 allocated to Pride in Place Impact Grants and £700,000 for high streets and town centre revitalisation. The funding must be committed by March 2027. The committee was asked to note the proposed priorities, consider aligning its own resources or match funding for town centre projects, and provide feedback on desired project types and principles.

Councillor Anne Dorrian raised concerns about potential duplication between the Pride in Place Impact Fund and the Boston Town Board's Pride in Place programme. Maria Cotton explained that while the funding streams are separate, she would work to ensure alignment and avoid duplication. She also addressed questions regarding the governance of the member panel for the fund, confirming it is cross-party and chaired by the Leader of the Council, Councillor Broughton. Details of the panel members and safeguards would be provided.

The committee discussed potential projects, including the refurbishment of red phone boxes in the town centre, which Councillor Alison Austin suggested could be purchased and repurposed.

2025/26 Draft Outturn Financial Position

Nicole Hayes, Head of Finance Delivery, presented the draft outturn financial position for 2025/26, which showed an underspend of £104,153. This underspend will be transferred to the BTAC reserve, bringing the total reserve balance to £396,788. The report detailed variances across service areas, including underspends in open spaces, allotments, Central Park, events, and town centre maintenance, offset by an overspend in public conveniences due to vandalism.

Councillor Stephen Woodliffe questioned the underspends in ground maintenance and street cleaning, asking why these savings were not used for improvements. Hayes clarified that these were recharge costs to BTAC and that reviews had been conducted to ensure appropriate charges.

Concerns were raised about the vandalism in public conveniences, with Phil Perry confirming that CCTV had been improved and doors reinforced. The committee also discussed the unutilised speed indicator devices, with a proposal to explore training for their use.

BTAC Play Area Improvements 'Aspirations'

Carl Beacock, Group Manager for Street Scene and Commercial Services, presented a report outlining aspirations for improvements to BTAC-managed play areas, based on a site tour. The report detailed proposed enhancements for several parks, including Ingelow Avenue Play Park, Woodville Row Play Park, Broadfield Lane, St John's Road Park, Burgess Pit, Sheltons Field, and Central Park.

Key themes included improving accessibility and inclusivity, enhancing environmental value, and addressing the lifecycle needs of existing equipment. The report highlighted significant costs associated with pathway restoration in Central Park, estimated at £157,000 to £260,000.

The committee agreed to approve the use of an underspend for graphics for Central Park and to defer decisions on other park improvements pending a more detailed report from Carl Beacock, including costings, safety assessments, and prioritisation. A list of which play areas fall under BTAC's remit was requested.

Work Programme

Phil Perry presented the updated work programme for the committee. The committee reviewed the membership of active working groups: Green Flag Award, Small Grants, and Central Park Security. A new working group was proposed to oversee funding for the BTAC area, with Councillor Patricia Marson agreeing to chair it. The committee also discussed the dates for the Small Grants working group meetings and the budget for the scheme, which remains at £12,000. Councillor Alison Austin proposed adding the acquisition and repurposing of red phone boxes to the work programme.

The next meeting of the Boston Town Area Committee is scheduled for 23 July 2026.