This week in Boston:

State Street Loan Finally Repaid, Saving Council £660,000

After years of attempts, the council has finally repaid the State Street loan, a long-standing financial burden. The Audit and Governance Committee received an update on the repayment at a meeting on October 13th. Link to meeting.

A Costly Legacy

Councillor Stephen Woodliffe highlighted the history of the loan, noting previous unsuccessful attempts to eliminate it.

there was attempts in 2012-13 to get rid of this loan, but we didn't make any progress. So the question is, you know, what happened then for them to suddenly throw in the towel and give us what we wanted.

How it Happened

Sean Howsam, Treasury Manager from PSPSL, explained that the loan had been sold to the Rolls Royce pension fund, who were keen to exit the loan to reduce their governance requirements. They offered the council a one-off opportunity to repay the £1,000,000 loan with a premium of £470,000, which was considerably lower than previous quotes.

The Savings

The council has now replaced the State Street loan with a £1,000,000 Public Works Loan Board (PWLB) loan at a rate of 4.1% for five years. Mr Howsam calculated that this would save the council around £660,000 over the life of the loan.

Call for Accountability

Councillor Anne Dorrian requested that the final note on the State Street Loan include:

• the year it was taken out
• that the methodology of taking out such a loan could rely simply on one single officer making that decision on their own without bringing that decision through political leadership or indeed field council
• the total amount that it's cost this council in the lifetime of the loan.

Property Fund Investments Under Scrutiny Amid Market Volatility

The Audit and Governance Committee reviewed the Q1 Treasury Report 2025-26, which included an update on the council's property fund investments. Link to meeting.

Fund Liquidation and Suspended Trading

Mr Howsam noted that the M&G UK property fund is liquidating its assets and the council has received distributions of just over £200,000 to date, leaving an amount of just under £200,000 outstanding of its original investment. He also noted that the AEW fund has received redemption requests of 90% of the fund and has suspended the trading of its shares to avoid fire sales of assets.

Strategy Change?

Councillor Richard Austin asked if the council should be considering a change of strategy going forward on the property funds. Mr Howsam responded that the council is regularly in discussions with the Section 151 Officer and senior leadership team in relation to the property funds, but that they need to consider the market circumstances, the likely duration of getting out of those funds, and the forecast for property funds going forward. He added that if the council exits the property funds at a loss, they would have to finance that loss from their reserves in the year that the loss crystallises.

Preparing for Economic Uncertainty

Councillor Anton Dani asked if the council had any strategies in place to prepare for the economic situation, including inflation and the upcoming budget. Mr Howsam responded that the council keeps the interest rate forecast under regular review and tries to maximise investment returns. He added that the council takes into account the forecasts for inflation when setting the budget for future years.

Health and Safety Risks in Schools Increase

The Audit and Governance Committee received the BBC Q1 Risk Report, which highlighted an increase in health and safety risks in schools due to a number of overdue outstanding audit actions. Link to meeting.

Addressing the Risks

Suzanne Rolfe, Group Manager of Insights and Transformation, reported that the overdue audit actions are being addressed by the director of the health and safety clinics.

Other Matters

• The Audit and Governance Committee approved the Internal Audit Charter, which sets out the conditions and requirements for delivering internal audit across the council.
• The Audit and Governance Committee discussed the external audit progress, the internal audit progress, the risk report, and the treasury report.
• The Audit and Governance Committee discussed adding a self-assessment of the committee's effectiveness to the work programme, but this was not agreed.

There are no upcoming meetings scheduled in the next 7 days.

This week in Boston:

Council Approves Depot Expansion Amid Archaeological Concerns

The Boston Borough Council Planning Committee approved a planning application for the demolition of an existing industrial shed and a change of land use to provide additional parking and associated works at a site north of the Boston Borough Council Depot on St Johns Road. The decision, made at a meeting on October 7th, has raised questions about archaeological preservation and the potential impact on the local environment. Link to meeting.

What's Planned?

The development includes:

• Additional staff car parking
• 10 commercial parking bays
• 4 trailer bays
• Closing off the existing highway access from St John's Road
• Creating vehicular and pedestrian routes between the existing site and the proposed site
• Replacing the existing perimeter fence
• Erecting a 4m high acoustic fence along the western boundary
• Resurfacing the proposed site
• Installing lighting columns

Archaeological Concerns

During the meeting, councillors raised concerns about the archaeological significance of the area, given its historical importance to Boston. Councillor Woodliffe asked about attempts to evaluate what's underneath the site. Emma Turvey, case officer, confirmed that a condition was attached to the approval requiring archaeological works before the development is finished.

Questions Raised

• Lighting: Councillors inquired about the amount and direction of additional lighting, and the times it would be illuminated.
• Noise: Concerns were raised about potential noise increases from storage.
• Archaeology: Councillors questioned whether archaeological evaluation would be carried out, given the area's historical significance.

Conditions for Approval

The committee approved the application subject to several conditions, including:

• A written scheme of archaeological investigation must be submitted and approved before any below-ground works take place.
• Any previously unidentified historic or archaeological features revealed during development must be reported to the local planning authority.
• The existing access onto St Johns Road must be permanently closed within seven days of the new access being brought into use.
• Full details of the means of surface water disposal must be submitted and approved before development commences.
• The proposed acoustic fencing must be erected before the development is brought into use and retained thereafter.
• Details and position of any lighting other than that shown on the Site Block Plan must be submitted to and approved by the local planning authority prior to its installation.

Other Matters

The committee addressed the preliminary items on the agenda, including:

• Apologies for absence
• Declarations of interest
• Approval of the minutes of the previous meeting
• Public questions - of which there were none.

Upcoming Meetings

• The Audit & Governance Committee of Boston Borough Council is scheduled to meet on 13 October 2025 to discuss an external audit progress report, an internal audit progress report, a review of the internal audit charter, a risk report, and a treasury report. Link to meeting.

This week in Boston:

Council Considers Cuts to Council Tax Support for Low-Income Families

The Overview & Scrutiny Committee is reviewing options that could reduce Council Tax support for working-age residents in Boston, potentially increasing financial strain on low-income households. The discussion took place at a meeting on October 2nd, where the committee examined the proposed consultation for the 2026/27 Local Council Tax Support Scheme. Link to meeting.

The Stakes

Council Tax Support provides crucial financial assistance to residents on low incomes, reducing their Council Tax bills. With the council facing budget pressures, it's exploring changes to the scheme, with the potential for significant impact on vulnerable households.

The Options

The committee considered three options for the 2026/27 scheme:

• Option 1: Maintain the current maximum level of support (100% for households with children, 85% for others) and find savings elsewhere.
• Option 2: Reduce support to 90% for lone parents, 80% for couples with children, and 75% for all other households.
• Option 3: Reduce support to 90% for lone parents, 80% for couples with children, and 70% for all other households.

Why it Matters

Any reduction in Council Tax Support could disproportionately affect low-income families, leading to increased debt and financial hardship. The council acknowledges this risk, but argues that savings must be found to balance the budget.

Have Your Say

The council is conducting a consultation on the proposed changes. Residents are encouraged to participate and voice their concerns.

Road Safety Report Reveals Alarming Fatality Statistics

The Overview & Scrutiny Committee received a sobering update from the Lincolnshire Road Safety Partnership (LRSP) on fatal and serious injury figures for Lincolnshire. The Road Safety Annual Report 2025, discussed at the October 2nd meeting, revealed that 52 people were killed and 379 seriously injured on Lincolnshire roads in 2024. Link to meeting.

Key Findings

• The estimated cost of each fatality to the public purse was £2.4 million in 2023.
• The majority of KSI¹ casualties occur on the rural road network and are more likely to be male.
• The highest risk groups remain high powered two-wheel motor vehicle (TWMV) riders, young drivers (17-24years) and mature road users (60years+).
• The highest contributory factor in fatal accidents was Driver/rider being aggressive, dangerous or reckless.

What's Being Done?

The LRSP is planning the 2025 Road Safety Strategy, aiming to create a new, ambitious, collaborative strategy for Lincolnshire. The partnership also provides engineering, enforcement, education, and training services.

A Call for Caution

The report serves as a stark reminder of the dangers on Lincolnshire's roads and the need for increased vigilance and responsible driving.

Council to Submit Plan for Neighbourhoods

Boston Borough Council is preparing to submit a 10-year vision and initial 4-year investment plan for Boston, as part of the government's Plan for Neighbourhoods program. The Overview & Scrutiny Committee received an update on the plan at its October 2nd meeting. Link to meeting.

Focus on Three Key Themes

The Plan for Neighbourhoods prioritizes:

• Thriving Places: Revitalizing areas with better amenities & high-quality infrastructure.
• Stronger Communities: Rebuilding relationships and fostering a sense of belonging.
• Taking Back Control: Empowering local people to shape their community's future.

Deadline Approaching

The council must submit the plan by November 28, 2025.

Other Matters

• The Overview & Scrutiny Committee reviewed the South and East Lincolnshire Councils Partnership Safeguarding Policy, which aims to ensure a clear understanding of the council's responsibilities under the Children Act 1989 and the Care Act 2014.
• The council discussed a motion to replace Councillor David Middleton as Chairman of the Planning Committee with Councillor Peter Bedford, citing Councillor Bedford's extensive experience in planning matters. Link to meeting.
• The council designated Russell Stone as the Council's Section 151 Officer, responsible for the proper administration of the council's financial affairs. Link to meeting.

Upcoming Meetings

• The Boston Borough Council Planning Committee is scheduled to meet on Tuesday 7th October 2025 to discuss a planning application for the Boston Borough Council Depot, and to confirm the minutes of their previous meeting. Link to meeting.
• The Audit & Governance Committee of Boston Borough Council is scheduled to meet on 13 October 2025 to discuss an external audit progress report, an internal audit progress report, a review of the internal audit charter, a risk report, and a treasury report. Link to meeting.

This week in Boston:

Council Grants Scheme Prioritizes Healthy Lives and Safer Communities

The Boston Town Area Committee (BTAC) is set to allocate grants to local initiatives, guided by its commitment to Healthy Lives and Safer and Resilient Communities. The committee will review recommendations from the BTAC Grants Working Group for the BTAC Small Grant Scheme at a meeting on September 25th. Link to meeting.

Small Grants, Big Impact

• Four eligible applications are under consideration in Round 2 of the scheme.
• The grant scheme aims to support the council's corporate priorities, including Healthy Lives, Safer and Resilient Communities, and The Environment.
• As of July 24, 2025, the BTAC Small Grants balance was £13,790.23, with £3,925.00 earmarked for the current applications.

Financial Health Check

The committee will also review the council's financial position for Quarter 1 of 2025/26. The 202526 Quarter 1 Financial Position report forecasts a £907 overspend for the year. While the anticipated reserve balance as of March 31, 2026, is £289,192, significantly above the minimum required balance of £70,000, the council will need to carefully manage its finances to stay on track.

What's on the Horizon?

The committee's work programme includes future discussions on:

• The BTAC Q4 2024/25 Financial Outturn report.
• Updates from Lincolnshire Police and Lincolnshire Housing Partnership.
• The proposed BTAC Budget 2026/27 and MTFS to 2030/31.

Police Feedback Drives Changes to Licensing Policy

Boston Borough Council's Licensing Committee met on September 23rd to discuss revisions to the Licensing Act 2003 Statement of Licensing Policy, incorporating feedback from Lincolnshire Police. Link to meeting.

Keeping Boston Safe

The Licensing Act 2003 requires the council to publish a Statement of Licensing Policy every five years, outlining the principles it will apply when accepting applications, inspecting premises, making decisions, and monitoring licensed premises. The previous policy was adopted in November 2020, and a new version is required by January 2026.

Police Recommendations

Lincolnshire Police provided feedback on several areas of the proposed policy, including:

• Knowledge of the Area: Ensuring applicants demonstrate knowledge of the area, including awareness of the Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) in place within the borough.
• Pool of Conditions: Developing and publishing a pool of conditions for applicants to access, encouraging them to consider these when determining appropriate steps to promote licensing objectives¹.
• Window Obstructions: Ensuring windows are 75% free from obstruction, providing a clear view inside the premises.
• Digital ID: Including all forms of government-issued digital ID documents in the list of acceptable documents for age verification policies.
• Criminal Activity: Reviewing licences where there is evidence of criminal activity outside the direct remit of the Licensing Act 2003, such as the sale of illegal drugs, organised crime, or immigration offences.
• Waterproof Labelling: Recommending that premises within the Public Space Protection Order provide waterproof labelling with the premises name and address on cans and bottles of alcohol sold for consumption off the premises.

Recommended Licence Conditions

The report pack also contained a list of recommended licence conditions, including guidance for applicants on measures to promote the four licensing objectives. These included:

• CCTV installation and maintenance
• Protocols for alcohol delivery services
• Restrictions on drinks in unsealed containers
• Use of door supervisors
• A written drugs policy
• Maintenance of an incident record
• Measures to prevent noise nuisance
• A proof of age policy
• Maintenance of a refusals record
• Right to work checks
• Consideration of the Public Space Protection Order

Upcoming Meetings

• The Overview & Scrutiny Committee is scheduled to meet on Thursday 02 October 2025 to discuss topics ranging from road safety to budget preparation. Link to meeting.
• The Boston Borough Council Planning Committee is scheduled to meet on Tuesday 7th October 2025 to discuss a planning application for the Boston Borough Council Depot, and to confirm the minutes of their previous meeting. Link to meeting.
• Boston Borough Council is scheduled to meet on Monday 29 September 2025. Link to meeting.