Since our last update myself and Cllr David Brown have been working as hard as ever to deliver for our 5 Parishes. We have continued our monthly surgeries, where residents can come and speak to us in person, and we will have new dates and times coming out for 2025. We both regularly attend Parish Council meetings and have helped with many issues and ideas raised to us at these meetings. Both myself and David are also Parish Councillors as well so we are eager to support these Councils as much as possible. If you are interested in the work we do in our villages please head to the Parish Council websites and see the minutes for more details.

In Sutterton, I have started a new Litterpicking Group which will eventually aim to promote engagement with residents, particularly children, in their local community. I have also set up a new Emergency Group, making our area more resilient to disasters such as Flooding, which 3 Local Parish Council's have joined. David has finished his year as the Mayor of Boston in May 2024 and during his time in office had supported nearly 100 events. I think he is now enjoying a well earned rest.

We are both raising concerns at Boston Borough Council about the amount of Energy Projects coming into the Five Villages Ward, the amount of applications far exceeds any other ward in Boston. We are meeting with Portfolio Holders and Officers next week to discuss the impact of these projects, the support our council need to give us and to push the Boston Independent Party to stand up for their residents vocally. The comments made by their Administration has largely been about the National Grid pylons, and many residents feel they are not vocal enough about this. I want a Council which will stand up for my Villages not one which is scared to make a sound. I know some residents of Bicker Fen and other Parishes are getting fed up with these projects and I agree that more needs to be done to help our communities.

The Boston Independent Party continues to focus on cosmetic changes in the town and good news stories. While the Conservative Group continue to take a realistic approach and raise legitimate concerns, certainly the Boston Independents are turning a blind eye to the issues in my Ward. Many in the Five Villages do not go to Boston for their shopping because they feel unsafe, this is not being addressed by Cllr Dorrian or her party. Even worse is the Council is failing our Rural areas in regard to street cleaning. The mud/leaves are building up in all the villages I represent, this is blocking drains and culverts, so unless our Council gets more proactive on this the issue will get worse. The Conservative Group will continue to raise all these concerns and work with officers/residents to find solutions.

At Full Council in October, supported by the other Conservative Councillors, I submitted a motion about developing a Rural Strategy for our Borough. This piece of work will address the multitude of issues in our Rural Communities and is due to be discussed as Cabinet in the new year. We waited a year and a half for the Boston Independents to develop a plan and it finally took your Conservative Councillors raising the issue to get this on their agenda. With this I am disappointed that the current Boston Council administration does not grasp the issues facing the Five Villages Ward and others. I hope this motion, which was voted for by the Council, will help our Parish Councils and residents in the villages.

Finally, residents in my ward will be getting a Christmas Postcard Leaflet from me and Cllr Brown over the coming month. This provides key local updates, information on Council responsibilities and useful contact details in the area. We will be delivering these to as many houses as possible as well as leaving them at Village Halls for residents to collect.

As always folks if you need to contact me for help please get in touch.

Best regards,

Cllr James Cantwell

07766227639

James.Cantwell@boston.gov.uk