Impacts of migration on rural area: Boston, Lincolnshire case study

Question 1

Challenges - social, political, economic

Answer 1

Social:
- Immigrants being exploited by gangmasters, low wages + no trade union protection.
- Immigrants increased street drinking + antisocial behaviour (due to migrants being of young working age.)
- decreased living conditions - immigrants are packed into houses.
- decrease in house availability
Political:
- There has been an increase in UKIP supporters vs conservative now as increase in negative view that Boston is being overwhelmed with immigrants.
- Most people who voted to leave EU were 65+
Economic:
- Average wage = £9.79 an hour - £4 less than the UK average (£13)
- rents increased

Question 2

Opportunities

Answer 2

+ Boston did have an ageing pop but now due to immigrants young pop - more than half of the Polish-born adults living in Britain are aged 25-35 - people from A8 and A2 nations fill low paid manufacturing/farming/retail jobs locals dont want.
+ Unemployment rate below national average - 4.4% in Boston vs 5% nationally.
+ Due to immigrants, the town has the lowest number of empty shops in the East Midlands.

Question 3

Management/solutions

Answer 3

• In 2012 Lincolnshire C. Council set up a group to look into the issues - The Task and Finish Group.
• after listening to local people, migrant workers etc they came up with a balanced series of recommendations e.g.:
  asked gov to:
• support gangmaster licensing authority to prevent rogue gangmasters from exploiting workers.
• record pop growth +provide money to support growing pop.
  asked police to:
• take a tough approach to those who street drink/antisocial behaviour.
  asked council to:
• see if schools like Park primary can have more money based on number of pupils arriving.
  asked community groups:
• provide events to bring people from diff backgrounds together.

Question 4

Demographics

Answer 4

• Biggest % increase in foriegn-born pop in UK was in Boston (479% increase) between 2001 - 2011.
• 10.6% of Bostons 64,600 pop comes from the A8 countries - 7000 eastern euro inhabitants.
• When A8 countries joined EU - UK gov predicted 15,000 immigrants, but Poland stated in 2007 - 500,000 - 600,000 Polish workers in UK - Polish is the 3rd largest minority group in UK.
• 81% of births in Boston were from EU mothers.