» NewsHundreds of toys have been donated to Boston’s Pilgrim Hospital to help spread some festive cheer among young patients this Christmas.
Shoppers visiting town centres across North Lincolnshire saved an estimated £2.2 million in the last year thanks to the council’s free parking policy – almost £100 per family.
New figures for the 2025 calendar year show more than 1.2m parking sessions were completely free, with fewer than one in seven drivers actually paying to park.
The average saving per visit was around £1.80. For a typical family making one trip a week to a town centre, that adds up to around £95 a year saved – simply by parking for free.
Cllr Rob Waltham, leader of North Lincolnshire Council, said: “This is real, practical help for local people at a time when every pound matters – and it’s a promise we made and have kept for more than a decade.
“Free parking keeps money in residents’ pockets and helps our town centres compete. While other councils have pushed charges up, we’ve stuck to our commitment to back shoppers, workers and local businesses.”
In the last year, only 197,000 parking sessions were paid for, compared to over 1.24m free stays, meaning around 86 per cent of all town centre parking was free.
Cllr John Davison, cabinet member for safer, stronger communities (urban), said: “We recognised early on that parking charges can put people off visiting town centres.
“That’s why we took the decision to remove them – and the numbers show it’s working. More people coming into our towns means more footfall for shops, cafés and markets.”
The council introduced its two-hour free parking policy more than a decade ago and later extended free parking to all day on Saturdays and Sundays.
Cllr Waltham added: “This isn’t about theory – it’s about consistently delivering what matters to local people and backing our high streets for the long term.”
The post Shoppers save up £2.2m in a year thanks to free parking pledge appeared first on North Lincolnshire Council.
If you want to fight crime, there’s a new career you can go into. Be a shopkeeper, says comedian and writer Steve N Allen.
Enjoy in North Lincolnshire!
50+ venues signed the Safety Charter
Staff trained in Ask Angela & more
Look for neon signs & branded staff
Download the free WalkSafe app for venue info & SOS help points.
Feel unsafe? Just Ask for Angela – staff are ready to help.
Police are warning residents to be on their guard against ‘suspicious’ people knocking on doors and to keep their houses secure following reports of burglaries and attempted burglaries.
Police are appealing for help in identifying a man in an image following an alleged assault in Boston.
Multi-million pound plans for 200 new affordable homes on the outskirts of Boston have been finalised, it has been announced.
Central government has cut funding to North Lincolnshire Council in real terms, while claiming an increase and expecting residents to pay more and make up the difference.
Ministers say council funding is going up. In reality, the figures fail to account for inflation, National Insurance increases, rising demand and the true cost of care – they are built on the assumption that councils will raise tax by the maximum amount each year to plug the gap.
Cllr Rob Waltham, leader of North Lincolnshire Council, has described the settlement as a “sleight of hand” – government gives on paper, takes away, and expects local taxpayers to pick up the bill.
More than 80 per cent of the council’s budget is spent supporting vulnerable adults and children with additional needs – people who rely entirely on the council for care, safety and support. Those costs are rising rapidly, but government funding is not keeping pace.
Cllr Waltham said: “Government will point to the headline figure rising, but it does not come close to covering the real cost of delivering essential services – it is sleight of hand.
“They are giving with one hand, taking away with the other, and expecting residents here to fill the gap through higher council tax.
“North Lincolnshire Council is efficient, disciplined and relentlessly focused on value for money – but even the best-run councils cannot defy reality when funding falls behind need.”
Despite the financial pressure, the council continues to protect the everyday services residents value – including free car parking, free books for young children, investment in leisure centres, community hubs, libraries and community grants – while absorbing rising costs elsewhere.
Cllr Waltham added: “Every pound matters, every day. We are frugal, focused and determined to spend money where it makes the biggest difference to residents’ lives.
“We will continue doing everything possible to keep council tax as low as we can – but residents deserve honesty about where the pressure is coming from. National funding decisions have real local consequences.”
The leader also highlighted the strength of North Lincolnshire’s communities, where volunteers, sports clubs, charities and community groups play a vital role in supporting residents – from reading in schools and caring, volunteering in museums, to litter picking, tree planting schemes and grassroots sport.
He said: “Our communities step up for each other every day. That strength is something to be proud of – but it should never be used as an excuse for government to walk away from its responsibility to properly fund essential services.”
“This isn’t about extras. This is about care for vulnerable adults and children with additional needs – services that simply do not exist anywhere else.
“When government funding falls behind reality, it is the most vulnerable who carry the risk, while councils are left in the firing line.
“Residents are being told there is more money, while being asked to pay more and receive less. That is not honest.”
The post Council leader: What the government funding settlement means for North Lincolnshire appeared first on North Lincolnshire Council.
From fairground rides and live entertainment to stalls and the chance to visit Santa’s Grotto, a wide range of seasonal fun was on offer in a village near Boston over the weekend.
The airport operator will work with infrastructure firm Infrabridge at the two airports