Darron Abbot on his allotment -
pictured in Boston Borough
Council's July bulletin

BID critic digs in on allotment charges 

Two separate issues have combined to provide a new challenge to Boston Borough Council about the way it spends taxpayers’ money.
The questions are being asked by Darron Abbott, a local businessman who has been a fierce critic of the way the Boston Business Improvement District operates.
He is also an allotment holder – and as such has been angered by the proposal to raise rents by more than 400% over a four year period.
Looking through the council’s breakdown of costs allocated to the services it provides, he noted that on the BID schedule the amount recharged to BID is just £1869.72 once the recharge of computer software and maintenance was taken out of the figures.
However, the amount allocated to the allotments is £19,020 once routine maintenance, water rates and third party payments are removed.
In an e-mail to council leader Peter Bedford, Mr Abbott says: “I would be grateful if you could get someone to explain them to me.
“It appears that one or both are drastically wrong.
“These schedules suggest what I have suspected all the time - that BID is heavily subsidised by the council tax payer.
"Why are there no recharges of support services for BID as there are for the allotments?
“The one that stands out to me has to be accountancy of £4,250 …
“The officer time for BID seems very low compared to that of the allotments.”
He points out that Councillor Derek Richmond, the cabinet mastermind for Town Centre Development and Management, Car Parks, BID, Markets and Public Toilets “continually states that BID is a separate company and the council have no control or say in the running. Then why do the council not cover the true costs?
“Councillor Richmond also repeatedly states BID perform duties the council cannot afford to do. Perhaps if BID were charged in the same manner as the allotments, the council would be better off, and would not have to rely on BID to do its work for them and no longer have to breach the BID guidelines.”
He concludes: “Just looking at these two sets of costings makes me realise why the council is in such a state financially. If any of my clients were producing rubbish like this it would mean the end of their business.”
Councillor Bedford did indeed find someone to look at the figures for Mr Abbott – going straight to the top and asking the borough’s part-time Director of Resources, Rob Barlow, to respond.
Whilst his reply was not what we would consider polite, nor was it the “explanation” requested, it was at least short and to the point.
“Firstly I can confirm the costs we recharge to Boston BID covers the cost of the work we do for them. Secondly the costs of providing allotments is also correctly stated. We do recognise that the Borough Council operating allotments is not the most cost efficient way. Our proposals for this service very much hope that allotment groups will take over the running of the sites themselves.
“Finally your view of the Council’s finances differs significantly from that of the Audit Commission. I have included a copy of our recent Annual Governance Report which I hope you will find paints a very different picture.”
So there!
In response, Mr Abbott told Councillor Bedford Mr Barlow seemed to have missed the point - that it is unfair that services like the allotments get loaded with recharge costs such as accountancy and room hire and others such as BID do not.
“Surely Boston Borough Council has a duty ensure all are treated fairly,” he asks.
And he has also promised that, in the next few weeks, he will be trying to look further into the way the council recharge expenses to various services.
“I will attempt to bring it to the attention of the public how it is justified to increase charges for services provided by the council by loading expenses unfairly against them.”
Interesting times ahead, as they say.

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