# Borough of Boston

The Borough of Boston is a local government district with borough status in Lincolnshire, England. Its council is based in the town of Boston. The borough also includes numerous villages in the surrounding rural area including Wyberton, Sutterton, Algakirk and Hubberts Bridge. As well as Kirton, the only other town in the borough.
The borough borders South Holland to the south, North Kesteven to the west, and East Lindsey to the north. To the east, it has a coast onto the Wash.

## History

The town of Boston had been incorporated as an ancient borough in 1545. It was reformed to become a municipal borough in 1836.
The modern borough was created on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, by merging the municipal borough of Boston with Boston Rural District. The new district was named Boston after its only town. Boston's borough status passed to the enlarged district from its creation, allowing the chair of the council to take the title of mayor, continuing Boston's series of mayors dating back to 1545. The borough covers the northern part of Holland, one of the three traditional Parts of Lincolnshire. Holland had been an administrative county between 1889 and 1974.
In 2020 the council agreed to share its management and other staff with neighbouring East Lindsey District Council. South Holland District Council joined the partnership in 2021, which is now described as the "South and East Lincolnshire Councils Partnership".

## Governance

Boston Borough Council provides district-level services. County-level services are provided by Lincolnshire County Council. Much of the borough is covered by civil parishes, which form a third tier of local government.

### Political control

Since the 2023 election the council has been under the control of local party the Boston Independents.
Political control of the council since the 1974 reforms has been as follows:
| Party in control | Years |
| No overall control | 1974–2007 |
| Boston Bypass Independents | 2007–2011 |
| Conservative | 2011–2015 |
| No overall control | 2015–2019 |
| Conservative | 2019–2020 |
| No overall control | 2020–2023 |
| Boston Independent | 2023–present |

### Leadership

The role of mayor is largely ceremonial in Boston. Political leadership is instead provided by the leader of the council. The leaders since 2006 have been:
| Councillor | Party | From | To |
| Joyce Dobson | Conservative | | 2006 |
| Mary Wright | Conservative | 18 May 2006 | 6 May 2007 |
| Richard Austin | Boston Bypass Independents | 24 May 2007 | 25 May 2011 |
| Peter Bedford | Conservative | 25 May 2011 | 15 May 2017 |
| Michael Cooper | Conservative | 15 May 2017 | 15 Jul 2019 |
| Aaron Spencer | Conservative | 15 Jul 2019 | 20 Jan 2020 |
| Paul Skinner | Conservative | 3 Feb 2020 | 7 May 2023 |
| Anne Dorrian | Boston Independent | 22 May 2023 | |

### Composition

Following the 2023 election, the composition of the council was:
| Party | Party | Councillors |
| | Boston Independent | 18 |
| | Conservative | 5 |
| | Independent | 5 |
| | Blue Revolution | 1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | 1 |
| Total | Total | 30 |
The Liberal Democrat and three of the independent councillors sit together as the "20-20 Independent Group". The next election is due in 2027.

### Elections

Since the last boundary changes in 2015 the council has comprised 30 councillors representing 15 wards, with each ward electing one, two or three councillors. Elections are held every four years. A map of the wards is available, as is a map showing the Local Government Boundary Commission for England's final recommendations for ward boundaries, October 2012.
The wards, and their numbers of councillors, are:
* Coastal (2)
* Fenside (2)
* Fishtoft (3)
* Five Villages (2)
* Kirton and Frampton (3)
* Old Leake and Wrangle (2)
* Skirbeck (3)
* St Thomas' (1)
* Staniland (2)
* Station (1)
* Swineshead and Holland Fen (2)
* Trinity (2)
* West (1)
* Witham (2)
* Wyberton (2)

### Premises

The council is based at the Municipal Buildings on West Street in Boston. The building was built in 1902 for the old borough council to the designs of architect James Rowell.

## Parishes

Much of the borough is covered by civil parishes, the exception being the pre-1974 municipal borough of Boston, which is an unparished area. The parishes are:
* Algakirk
* Amber Hill
* Benington
* Bicker
* Butterwick
* Fishtoft
* Fosdyke
* Frampton
* Freiston
* Holland Fen with Brothertoft
* Kirton
* Leverton
* Old Leake
* Sutterton
* Swineshead
* Wigtoft
* Wrangle
* Wyberton

## 2016 EU referendum

On 23 June 2016 the Borough of Boston voted in the UK-wide Referendum on membership of the European Union (EU) under the provisions of the European Union Referendum Act 2015. In a turnout of 77%, over 75% voted to leave the EU, the highest leave majority of the 382 UK voting areas. The local MP Matt Warman, a Conservative, had campaigned for a "Remain" vote.
United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, 2016 Borough of Boston :
| Choice | Choice | Votes | % |
| | Leave the European Union | 22,974 | 75.56% |
| | Remain a member of the European Union | 7,430 | 24.44% |
| Valid votes | Valid votes | 30,404 | 99.96% |
| Invalid or blank votes | Invalid or blank votes | 12 | 0.04% |
| Total votes | Total votes | 30,416 | 100.00% |
| Registered voters and turnout | Registered voters and turnout | 39,963 | 77.27% |
Borough of Boston referendum result (without spoiled ballots): :
| Leave: 22,974 (75.6%) | Remain: 7,430 (24.4%) |

## Freedom of the Borough

The following people and military units have received the Freedom of the Borough of Boston.

### Individuals

* Professor Sir Jonathan Van-Tam: 21 March 2022.
* David Medlock: 17 April 2023.

### Military Units

* RAF Coningsby: 16 May 1963.

## Arms

Coat of arms of Borough of Boston :
* CrestOn a wreath of the colours a demi-lion Or holding between the forepaws a woolsack Proper charged with a ram couchant Or.
* EscutcheonOr on a chevron Azure three coronets each composed of crosses paty and fleurs-de-lys Or on a chief Sable a garb between two pairs of windmill sails also Or.
* SupportersOn either side a mermaid Proper crined and finned Or upon a compartment of waves barry wavy Azure and Argent.
* MottoServe With Amnity