New Boston Borough Council opposition group aims to 'take control'

A new independent group will sit on Boston Borough Council

Two councillors unhappy with the running of Boston Borough Council have formed a new opposition group.

Brian Rush and Anne Dorrian said Boston Independent Group would bring a fresh perspective and renewed energy.

They said there was growing unhappiness at the way the council operated, including a lack of transparency, too few events and dirty streets.

But the council's Conservative leader said it was run "as well as it can be under present economic circumstances".

Ex-councillors, business owners and local residents had joined Mr Rush and Ms Dorrian in the group, which hoped to win more seats in May's local elections, the councillors said.

"Our overall ambition is to get elected in sufficient numbers so we are able to take control of the council," they added in a statement.

"That way, we can begin immediately to restore civic pride in our community."

The group pledged to remain independent and said it would not be influenced by national politics, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Anne Dorrian and Brian Rush said they wanted to "restore civic pride" in Boston

Responding, council leader Paul Skinner said: "Boston Borough Council is run efficiently and as well as it can be under the present economic circumstances.

"It is successful with funding and driving change with the UK's first three-way partnership."

Boston Borough Council has seen a string of independent groups formed over the past two decades.

Mr Rush and Ms Dorrian were previously part of the Boston Bypass Independents, who in 2007 became the first group to take overall control of the council since 1974.

However, by 2011 it had lost the majority of its members.

Since then, the Boston District Independents, the Independent Groups 1 and 2, the Independent 20/20 group and the W,H&A Independents have all been formed.