MISSION PLAN

STAGE 2  -  COMMUNITY AUDIT

 

 

A successful Mission Plan will need to be based on a full and accurate picture of the existing community, its main characteristics, and the facilities and organisations which are already in place. This stage of the Mission Plan is in two parts. The first part uses information from the 2011 census in order to form a picture of the social and economic characteristics of the area around our church. The second part catalogues all the community facilities in the area. These two parts will provide the context for any facilities and services Zion might afford in future.

 

Part 1 - Social and Economic Characteristics

  

As information from the 2021 Census is not yet available, detailed information has been extracted from the 2011 Census regarding the social and economic characteristics of 3 Borough Council wards (Staniland North, Staniland South and West wards) which make up the area around Zion. This is compared with information for Boston as a whole. Unfortunately the Borough ward boundaries were changed prior to the 2021 Census and therefore, in the future, the two sets of census information will not be directly comparable. Tables of data derived from the 2011 census are available, but perhaps the most relevant facts in the context of the Zion Mission Plan may be summarised as follows:

 

·  The three wards, in 2011, had a combined population of 7751, of which 3657 were in Staniland South, 2031 in Staniland North, and 2063 in West ward. Since 2011 there has been substantial development north of Sleaford Road, and therefore the population of the West ward area will now be much greater. There have also been significant new residential developments in Staniland South.

·         In 2011 there were 3,229 residential households in the whole area. Average household size is largest in Staniland North (2.6 people per household), but overall, at 2.4 people per household, very similar to the Boston average of 2.3.

·         Staniland North has a much higher proportion of under 40 year olds and a lower proportion of over 50 year olds than the Boston average. Staniland South and West wards are very different, with a much higher proportion of people aged over 50.

·       There are big differences in average (median) age. West Ward has the oldest average age, at 48. For Staniland South, the figure is 45, and Staniland North is the youngest ward, at an average of 34, compared to the Boston average of 42.

·        The proportion of households without a car, at about one third, is about the same in Staniland North and South – but is much less in West Ward (at 9%). Overall, there are more car-less families in our area than in  Boston generally.

·        The proportion of the residents of Staniland North born outside the UK is much higher than elsewhere in the Zion area, and for Boston generally. About 30% were born in Eastern Europe, compared to 10% in Boston generally. Immigration from elsewhere in the world is not significant.

·         Over 74% of all residents claim an attachment to Christianity. And there is no great variation between different wards.

·        The rate of home ownership in Staniland North and South is very similar at about 53% , but is much higher in West Ward at almost 90%. The Boston average is 64%. In Staniland North, private renting is at 30%, whereas in Staniland South, it is social renting that reaches 30%.

·        Of people living in couples, over the 3 wards as a whole, 76% are married, 22% are co-habiting, and less than 2% are same sex couples. The proportion of co-habiting and same-sex couples is slightly greater in Staniland North, but nowhere do these figures differ markedly from the Boston average.

·         Of people living alone, 18% (453) are divorced and 20% (505) widowed. The proportion of widowed people (25% of those living alone) in West Ward is twice as high as it is in Staniland North. This is to be expected as the proportion of older people is much higher in West Ward. The overall figures are very close to the Boston average.

·        In the area as a whole there are 244 lone parents with dependent children. At 7.6% of households in the area, this is in line with the Boston average.

·         Paradoxically, Staniland North has the highest proportion of full time employed and also of unemployed people. The average figures for Boston are significantly exceeded in both cases. The proportion of retired people is highest in Staniland South, where, together with West ward, the rate is twice as high as Staniland North. Overall, the proportion of retired people is a little above the Boston average.

·         West ward has a high proportion of people in professional and management employment (about 30%), and significantly higher than the Boston average. Overall, however, the proportion in the three wards is a little lower than the Boston average.

 

Conclusions

·         Although as a whole, the area largely conforms to Boston's average socio-economic characteristics, there are considerable internal variations.

·         Staniland North ward is the youngest and most cosmopolitan, with possibly the most transient population, with a high proportion of private renting and single person households. It also has the highest proportion of lone parents with dependent children, but this is not greatly above the Boston average. There may be some employment and income stress, with high full time rates of employment, high unemployment, and higher representation in lower income employment.

·         Staniland South ward has by far the largest population of the three wards. It has the highest proportion of over 60 year olds in the area (33%, compared with 26% for Boston as a whole), with some accommodation designed specifically for the aged. It has significant immigration from Eastern Europe, but only half the rate in Staniland North. It also has the highest proportion of socially rented accommodation, although at over 50%, owner occupation is still the most prevalent form of tenure. Staniland South has the highest number of single person households, single parents with dependent children and widowed people in the area.

·         Although West ward has marginally more people than Staniland North, but many fewer than Staniland South, there has been substantial new residential development north of Sleaford Road since 2011. West ward has the highest median age (at 48) of the three wards. Numbers of immigrants are small. Owner occupation is high, as is car ownership, owner occupied detached accommodation and the proportion of employed people in professional and managerial occupations. It has by far the largest proportion of married people with no dependent children, but also the highest proportion of widowed people.

 

Part 2 Community Facilities and Organisations

 

Bus Services   

There are 2 bus services in the area. The K59 Boston to Spalding service gives an hourly service into the town centre along Sleaford Road for the West ward area. The 1t1 route gives an hourly link along Brothertoft Road and Woodville Road into the town centre.

 

Care and Nursing Homes 

The Gardens, Westfield House (both in Sleaford Road), and Mayfields (Broadfield Lane). (Ancaster Court and Grounds Court are residential homes)

 

Churches         

1 Zion Methodist

 

Medical Facilities 

Pharmacy, GP surgery, Private hospital, NHS Archway Centre, dentist (all at Boston West Business Park). Private dentist (Rosebery Ave.)

 

Nurseries            

2  - Mon Ami at Woodville Road, and Sandhills at Boston West Business Park

 

Open Spaces        

3 open spaces with play areas (Woodville Road, Broadfield Lane, and Ashton Hall Drive) Playing fields at Peter Paine Sports Centre and Mayflower Sports Ground (Rosebery Avenue).

 

Play Group        

Rosebery Avenue Community Play Group (at Boston West School)

 

Petrol Station    

1(Sleaford Road, with shop, cash machine and takeaway)

 

Schools   

3 primary schools (Carlton Road, Staniland and Boston West). No high or secondary schools.

       

Shops

1 large supermarket (Asda), 2 Co-ops (Woodville Road and Argyle St.), Korzinca food shop (on business park), 1 corner shop/off licence (Berry's), 1 fish and chip shop (Woodville Rd.) and a European food shop in Carlton Road/Portland St.

 

Sports Facilities   

Peter Paine Sports Centre (including gym), Mayflower Sports Club, Boston Indoor Bowls Club (all at Rosebery Avenue), Boston West End Bowls Club, Boston Tennis Club, and Trugym at Boston West Business park

 

Youth Organisations  Scout and Guide groups are based at Zion Church

 

Boston West Business Park – is located just within the eastern boundary of the area, and includes the following, all mentioned above:

                            Sports gym

                            Pharmacy

                            GP surgery

                            Private hospital

                            NHS Archway Centre

                            Nursery

                            Dentist

 

Facilities bordering the area

Immediately to the east of the area lies Boston Station, a public house, and Boston town centre. Immediately to the west lies the Chain Bridge retail area, a number of car showrooms and Endeavour Park (employment area). On the northern periphery of the area, on the north side of Argyle Street and Fydell Street there is a hairdresser and three European food shops.

 

Conclusions

 

·  The area appears to be well supplied with primary schools.

·  Medical facilities are almost entirely confined to the far west of the area and serve the town rather than the locality.

·  The area is generally fairly well served by local shops (except that in West ward there is only the small shop attached to the petrol station.)

·  There is no 'centre' in the area with a range of services (eg retail, post office, community facilities).

·  There appears to be adequate provision of sports facilities, gyms and open spaces.

·  There may be a deficiency in social and support facilities for mothers with children and also for the elderly and other people living on their own.

·  Zion is almost alone in the area in providing room hire facilities for voluntary and community groups – although the Peter Paine Sports Centre also hires out rooms.

·  We are not aware of any local voluntary organisations aiming to support specifically the East European community, which is well represented in this area