The Overview & Scrutiny Committee of Boston Council met on Thursday 16 July 2026 to discuss the town centre's future, the council's carbon footprint, and Section 106 agreements. Key discussions included the endorsement of recommendations for a town centre marketing action plan and the noting of the council's carbon footprint progress.

Town Centre Task and Finish Group Review

Councillor Ralph Pryke, Chair of the Town Centre Task and Finish Group, presented the group's findings and recommendations. The report highlighted concerns about property vacancies, the public realm, and the promotion of Boston as a town centre. The group proposed a redrawing of the official town centre map to include areas like Asda, and recommended that the museum, acting as the tourist information centre, should be open seven days a week. Councillor Pryke also thanked the members of his group and the officers, particularly Pranali's department, for their support.

Councillor Barry Pearpoint expressed strong agreement with the report, emphasising the need for a strong marketing and action plan with joined up thinking to promote Boston more effectively. He questioned whether the task and finish group had collaborated with the town board and business organisations, noting a perceived fragmentation among different groups working on town centre initiatives. Councillor Pearpoint also highlighted the need for immediate action on marketing, stating, We need it now. We need something now. We can't wait again for another 18 months.

Councillor Alison Austin raised concerns about the demographics of Boston compared to neighbouring towns like Spalding and Stamford, and the suitability of large retail spaces for current town centre needs. She also questioned the ownership of the marketplace, suggesting pressure on Lincolnshire County Council to acknowledge it.

Councillor Richard Austin proposed that the committee make a positive recommendation to the Cabinet to reinforce the report's findings with firm action points, particularly regarding a marketing plan.

The committee agreed to endorse the seven recommendations on page 46 of the report, along with the additional proposal for a serious marketing action plan to be developed.

Carbon Footprint Update

Environment and Sustainability Officer Heather Prescott presented an update on the council's carbon footprint for the financial years 2022-23, 2023-24, and 2024-25. She explained that the delay in reporting was due to a change in the Carbon Trust's business model, which has now been resolved with a new toolkit solution.

The report showed a total carbon footprint of 2,768.3 tonnes of CO2 equivalent in 2022-23, a 28% reduction from the 2018-19 baseline year. In 2023-24, emissions were 2,546 tonnes, a 35% reduction from the baseline, with significant reductions attributed to lighting and boiler upgrades, particularly at the Municipal Buildings. For 2024-25, emissions were recorded at 2201.7 tonnes, a 44.25% reduction from the baseline, with the Jeff Mulder Leisure Centre moving into the leased buildings category. The council is on track to meet its net zero target by 2040, with an interim target of a 45% reduction by 2027.

Councillor Pearpoint inquired about the measurement process and the scope of the data, to which Heather Prescott explained it covers nine categories including fleet, business travel, electricity, gas, and water, with data sourced from utility bills and financial records. Concerns were raised about the impact of Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) on future reporting and the continuation of this work. Christian, a representative from the council, assured that any new unitary authority would likely adopt these practices due to their financial benefits.

Councillor Alison Austin sought clarification on leased buildings, asking whether they were leased by or to the council, and requested examples. Heather Prescott clarified that leased buildings refers to properties the council owns but tenants occupy, or where another organisation manages them, such as the Jeff Mulder Leisure Centre and industrial units. She also addressed concerns about changes in methodology, assuring that comparisons were like for like and that the council was working with the Carbon Trust to optimise data accuracy.

Councillor Pearpoint commended the progress made but stressed the importance of communicating these achievements to the public in simple terms.

Section 106 Agreements Analysis and Monitoring

Lead Finance and Section 106 Monitoring Officer Amanda Seaton presented an analysis of Section 106 agreements. These agreements are developed as part of planning application approvals to mitigate the direct impact of developments on infrastructure, community facilities, open spaces, or highways. Contributions can be made in kind (e.g., development of open space) or as commuted sums. The report highlighted that the council has been effective in collecting and spending these contributions within the required timescales, with no significant red flags identified in a recent audit.

Councillor Pearpoint questioned the linkage between Section 106 payments and actual provision, particularly for medical centres and schooling, noting that developers sometimes paid little towards these. Amanda Seaton explained that the council is advised by statutory consultees, such as the County Council for highways and education, and the NHS for health provision, on the required contributions. She confirmed that Section 106 payments only form a partial contribution to these services.

Councillor Pearpoint also enquired about specific reductions in secured obligations for two sites: The Quadrant and the Old Leak. Amanda Seaton offered to provide further details on the amounts and reasons for these reductions, noting that the removal of an education obligation at the Old Leak was advised by the strategic development officer as no longer necessary, with a healthcare obligation being added. She clarified that decisions on reductions for transport planning, education, and health are made by the relevant statutory consultees, not the Borough Council.

Councillor Alison Austin expressed dissatisfaction with the use of the word effective in the report, preferring more definitive language. Amanda Seaton explained that effective and adequate were terms used in the audit report.

Local Council Tax Support Scheme Consultation

Gemma Davies, Deputy Head of Revenue and Benefits, presented proposals for the Council Tax Support Scheme for 2027-28. She explained that local authorities are required to develop schemes for low-income working-age households, with the government prescribing the scheme for pensioners. The current scheme provides up to 90% support for lone parents with children, 80% for couples with children, and 75% for all other households. The total scheme expenditure is forecast at £4.7 million, with Boston contributing approximately £626,000. The Cabinet decided to consult on retaining the current scheme, updated annually in line with the DWP's upratings, to provide consistency and stability for claimants, particularly during the cost of living crisis.

Councillor Pearpoint raised concerns about potential abuse of the system and the checks in place for claims. Gemma Davies explained that for Council Tax Support, full verification of income and expenditure is conducted, though the council relies on the information provided by the customer. She also detailed annual reviews for single person discounts, which use third parties and tracing agents.

Councillor Richard Austin noted that the scheme has been reviewed over the years and is generally meeting its objectives, suggesting that with LGR on the horizon, extensive debate on the current scheme might be unnecessary.

Performance Report

Suzanne presented the quarterly performance report, noting that there were no red indicators for this quarter. She highlighted some amber indicators, including those related to investment properties and fly-tipping, explaining the reasons for these and noting that further information on properties would be available on the council's website. She also mentioned that a number of indicators, including those for complaints, information, and subject access requests, would be combined for the next quarter to provide a clearer picture.

Councillor Pearpoint praised the reports and asked about the process for converting amber indicators to green. Suzanne explained the specific reasons for the current amber indicators and the expected improvements.

Councillor Pearpoint also raised concerns about the handling of complaints, questioning whether they were being satisfied and if lessons learned were being implemented across departments. Suzanne confirmed that a complaints clinic was in place to review complaints, share lessons learned, and identify trends, with information being shared across the wider partnership to improve working practices.

Councillor Wilbury inquired about market stall occupancy, specifically whether it included the farmers' and makers' market, and the impact of the Jeff Mulder Leisure Centre opening on the PRSA facilities. Suzanne stated she would investigate these points and provide further details.

Work Programme and Forward Plan

Christian introduced the work programme and forward plan, explaining that the forward plan informs members about upcoming decisions and allows them to pre-scrutinise topics. He noted that there was space on the agenda for further topics to be added to the work programme.

Councillor Pearpoint requested that pending items on the work programme be actioned or removed, suggesting that if topics were not being addressed, they should be taken off the list. Christian confirmed that these items would be removed but could be reinstated if there was a strong desire to revisit them.

Councillor Pearpoint also highlighted the need for refresher training for councillors, citing discussions during the meeting about declarations of interest.