As your Big Local Rep, every three months I share my thoughts on local area progress with you as residents and with the central team managing the national programme. Your comments and thoughts are always welcome.

Running things

The partnership continues to meet monthly with the strong support of the Local Trusted Organisation, Age UK Boston and South Holland. The partnership continues to work very well together. While two members, Jody Raggo and Mary Wright, have recently stood down, two new people have expressed interest in joining.

The partnership is extremely diligent in its ways of reviewing activity reports from partner agencies before releasing funding. The process was recently written up in the September Newsletter. As chair, Richard Tory, said: “The reporting reviews make our delivery partners accountable and help us ensure that activities are being delivered to the agreed standards. We act on behalf of local residents to monitor Big Local funds and check they are being spent appropriately and effectively.”

Looking more widely, Richard Tory undertook the 2017 survey at the summer beach event and Jane Bettany collated the findings, showing positive change in perceptions of the Big Local area among residents and those living elsewhere.

And the partnership is always willing to connect to the wider Big Local programme – this quarter contributing to national research into how Boston Big Local has enabled additional resources to be attracted to the area.

Doing things

It has been a busy and successful period and the reports and stories of change on the website are brimming over with positive community engagement, innovative and successful work. The autumn Newsletter summarises some of these. Highlights include improving amenities and open spaces, The Boston Get Cycling Roadshow, the Boston Beach event and the continuing work of the Boston Hanse Group introducing the people of Boston to the town’s history and promoting the benefits of a wider partnership with other towns, cities and countries.

Looking ahead

The partnership is hosting a legacy event in November to consider what this might look like and what of the current activities may require continuing funding and from what sources. Another round of reports are due to be reviewed by the partnership in January and a winter newsletter will be circulated.