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.[4] The new district was named Boston after its only town.[5] 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.[6] 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.[7] South Holland District Council joined the partnership in 2021, which is now described as the "South and East Lincolnshire Councils Partnership".[8]
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:[14]
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.[18] A map of the wards is available,[19] as is a map showing the Local Government Boundary Commission for England's final recommendations for ward boundaries, October 2012.[20]
The wards, and their numbers of councillors, are:[18]
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.[21] The building was built in 1902 for the old borough council to the designs of architect James Rowell.[22]
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:[23]
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.[24] The local MP Matt Warman, a Conservative, had campaigned for a "Remain" vote.[25]
United Kingdom European Union membership referendum, 2016 Borough of Boston
Choice
Votes
%
Leave the European Union
22,974
75.56%
Remain a member of the European Union
7,430
24.44%
Valid votes
30,404
99.96%
Invalid or blank votes
12
0.04%
Total votes
30,416
100.00%
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%)
▲
Swineshead, one of the many villages of the borough
Freedom of the Borough
The following people and military units have received the Freedom of the Borough of Boston.
On a wreath of the colours a demi-lion Or holding between the forepaws a woolsack Proper charged with a ram couchant Or.
Escutcheon
Or 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.
Supporters
On either side a mermaid Proper crined and finned Or upon a compartment of waves barry wavy Azure and Argent.
^"Meet Your Councillors [map]"(PDF). Boston Borough Council. Archived from the original(PDF) on 28 October 2021. Retrieved 21 October 2024. 'NB Councillors named are as of 2021
^Goodenough, Tom (10 September 2020). "Which Tory MPs back Brexit". The Spectator. Archived from the original on 3 February 2017. Retrieved 10 September 2020.
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