Council moves ahead with its bid for Boston to become a city

A competition was launched across the UK to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee by granting city status to a select number of towns for the first time in ten years.

Boston Borough Council has entered this in the hopes a city status for the town will ‘instil civic pride in Boston’.

A council spokesman said: “Over the past few months we have seen local residents, businesses and partners show their support and help us promote our application for #CityStatus. We have also acquired international support from organisations in America which will bolster out submission.

“We are the only town in Lincolnshire to be entering the competition for city status for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee 2022.”

On Monday night the council met to discuss applying for city status, with councillors voting to ‘press ahead with the bid’.

The spokesman added: “To instil civic pride in Boston, highlight and promote its heritage and its worldwide connections, and increase investment opportunities for economic growth it was agreed that Boston Borough Council will submit an application for the town to receive City Status as part of the competition to celebrate Her Majesty the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022.”

It was also agreed that delegated authority be given to the Deputy Chief Executive – Growth, in consultation with Portfolio Holder Coun Richard Austin, to approve and submit the application for City Status by the deadline of December 8, 2021.

Councillor Richard Austin, Portfolio Holder for Heritage, said: “This is an excellent opportunity to promote Boston nationally and internationally recognising its history and heritage and ambition to continue to develop as a centre of economic growth. This application is very competitive but I look forward to changing the road signs to City of Boston.”