New independent party for Boston hopes to bring a 'fresh perspective' to the borough

The Boston Independent Group (BIG) said it was hoping to bring a fresh perspective and renewed energy to Boston Borough Council.

It includes two current councillors – Brian Rush and Anne Dorrian – along with a number of ex-councillors, business owners, workers and retirees.

A group statement said there was growing dissatisfaction around the way the council was run, with criticisms including insufficient events for residents, a need to engage more with local businesses, dirty streets, and the most recent Christmas lights controversy. Ahead of the local elections in May, the BIG is inviting residents to join.

The statement said they began as a group of local people who started talking about the possibility of offering an alternative to voters, vowing to remain independent, not influenced by national politics: “Our overall ambition is to get elected in sufficient numbers so that we are able to take control of the council. That way, we can begin immediately to restore civic pride in our community.”

The group pledged the entire town centre will be trimmed with lights and a beautiful Christmas tree centrepiece.The council has had numerous independent groups over the past 15 years. In 2007, the Boston Bypass Independents were the first group to take overall control of the council since 1974, however, by 2011 had lost the majority of its members. Couns Rush and Dorrian had been part of that group, but later split off with two other members to form the Better Boston Group. Since then groups have also included the Boston District Independents, the Independent Groups 1 and 2, the Independent 20/20 and the W, H & A Independents. Coun Dorrian said candidates were being interviewed and assessed for their suitability to the role.

Responding to some of the comments around the council’s decisions, Conservative leader, Coun Paul Skinner, said: “Boston Borough Council is run efficiently and as well as it can be under the present economic circumstances. Indeed the Local Government Association peer review picked this up. It is successful with funding and driving change with the UK’s first three-way partnership.”