The committee discussed the implementation of a new Street Art Policy in Boston, reviewed the Quarter 3 Performance Report, and updated the work programme for the upcoming municipal year. Key decisions included the approval of the Street Art Policy pilot project in Central Park and the identification of potential sites for future street art installations.

Street Art Policy

Councillor Sarah Sharpe presented the new Street Art Policy, developed by South Holland District Council after a local petition in 2021. The policy aims to manage graffiti while providing space for street art, defined as any work of art on building facades or infrastructure with permission that complements the public space in which it is situated. Graffiti is defined as defacement of building facades or infrastructure without permission by use of paint or another form of marker.

The policy was tested with a pilot project in South Holland in 2023, which revealed both successes and challenges. One artist breached the policy by creating an unapproved piece about the cost-of-living crisis, which was removed as graffiti. The policy will now be piloted in Boston, starting with Central Park, to support the ongoing work to achieve Green Flag status. The pilot will involve applications, community consultations, and approvals before any street art is created.

Concerns were raised about the potential for graffiti and vandalism, but the policy includes measures for maintenance and public recognition of approved artworks. Funding is being sourced through the NPO project over three years. The Assistant Director for Regulatory confirmed that graffiti is an environmental crime, and efforts are made to identify and penalise culprits.

Quarter 3 Performance Report

The Group Manager for Transformation and Insights presented the Quarter 3 Performance Report. Members expressed concerns about the trend information provided, noting the lack of benchmarking and targets. The Group Manager explained that trend measures sometimes lack targets due to the absence of historical data or the nature of the information being tracked.

Questions were raised about the recording of call data in seconds, which will be reviewed to focus on customer query resolution. The success of the homeless not becoming homeless target was noted, with suggestions for follow-up on long-term outcomes. The Chairman indicated that homelessness and rough sleepers would be a matter for the Corporate and Community Committee.

Concerns about market stalls and cumulative savings targets were addressed, with clarification provided on the criteria for visitor numbers based on the GMLP.

Work Programme

Councillor Anton Dani updated the committee on the Member Working Group's activities, noting that further meetings are scheduled to draw conclusions and implement discussed improvements. The work programme for the new municipal year was noted, with the addition of a report on the Environmental Policy.

For more details, you can refer to the Minutes of Previous Meeting and other related documents.