Our Friday miscellany

of the week's

news and events

We wondered what the Boston Borough Council tent was doing pitched on Fish Hill during Wednesday’s market day – and thanks to Independent Councillor Richard Leggott, we now know. He tells us: “After a stint on Boston Borough Council consultation team on Fish Hill, Wednesday 9th November, I would like to report, through your blog, my observations.
1: It’s difficult to interest younger people in the exercise of consultation by tick box. It was generally the middle-aged to older members of the public who took away the form and s.a.e.
2: It was further evident that there were many of the younger passers-by whose first language was not English.
3: General satisfaction levels in council service delivery ranged from 'very happy' to ‘c--p.’ (I'm telling it as it is here).
Singular and recurring observations and questions included the following.
I'm quite happy except for --.
What on earth is the point of ripping up our Market Place to lose so many parking spaces --absolutely crazy!
Look at that tattered flag flying above the Assembly Rooms.
Is it right the Market Place will not be finished until next July?
Here come those buses again; look how they struggle to turn round.
Why can't we have a bus coming in from ---------?
Where is the Tourist Information Centre?
I'm not from Boston, thank you.
Dyznite przcoiiankovic-- or something similar.
Who do I need to contact about a rude stallholder?
Before I ticket these cars parked on Fish Hill, do any of them belong to any of you?
There was also a comment which I cannot repeat about the management of BID. Presumably, from the knowledge displayed, a 'reluctant member' of that scheme.
My final comments.
Well done Boston Borough Council staff. You were a model of tact and diplomacy, sometimes in the face of strong criticism. I was pleased to see other councillors doing a stint to help you. And what happened to those chocolates ?
A final note from us - what a shame that the event was not better publicised.
We note that the Boston District Independents’ (formerly BBI) leader Councillor Helen Staples had a complaint against her upheld by the borough council’s Consideration and Hearings sub committee. The allegation was that she failed to declare a personal interest in the consideration of a planning application. The details appeared in the public notice announcements in the Boston Standard – but we couldn’t find it in the Boston Target. Unfortunately, although a reference number  for the application was given in the notice, no trace of it could be found in a search of planning applications. The committee decided that Councillor Staples had a "close association" with one of the objectors to the application, which she failed to declare, and which was a breach of the council’s code of conduct. There was a time when such announcements appeared in the council’s own notices on its website, but this had not happened as we went to press. Frankly we wonder what the point of all this is. Councillor Staples’s punishment is to be censured by the sub committee –  which means ... what, exactly? Perhaps it’s the political equivalent of a yellow card in sport. But does it carry any weight? Is it regarded as a serious matter? Somehow, we think not.
Our MP Mark Simmonds has announced a meeting with Communities Secretary Eric Pickles, because he says the government needs to understand the pressures that the rise in Boston’s population has put on our community. He said: "We need to make sure that those who are in the Boston area legally and legitimately and are making a contribution are welcomed and those who are not are sent back from whence they came.” We are sure that the government already understands the issues – but simply chooses to do nothing about them. We are equally sure that 99.9% of people live in the area legitimately, and therefore – whether they make a contribution or not, cannot be sent anywhere at all ...  which makes Mr Simmonds’s words seem rather hollow . He is also meeting Health Secretary Andrew Lansley to ask for more financial support to cope with the rise in population. Critics will say that he still doesn’t get it. The issue is one of numbers – not integration or payment for the extra bodies. Throughout the recent debates, protesters have made this clear – they are saying that Boston simply has too high a proportion of migrants and that this is changing the face of the town.
Speaking of Mr Simmonds, we note that just days after his announcement that he was pressing the Olympic torch committee to include his constituency among the areas to be visited, that Wrangle and Boston are listed among the thousand or so places that it will pass through. It would be unkind to suggest that when his announcement was made that the route had almost certainly been decided, but we are sure that if Boston had not been on it, then changes would have been made between the middle of last week and Monday of this to ensure that we received a visit!
This of course means that joy will be unconfined. The borough’s portfolio holder for leisure services, Councillor Yvonne Gunter, has already declared that being part of the torch relay is fantastic and “something really positive for Boston.” We may be getting old – we are getting old! – but we fail to see what, if anything it will do for us. Wrangle councillor Maureen Dennis also calls the news exciting and claims that it “will form a real attachment for many with the Olympics.” Meanwhile games organising committee chairman Sebastian (Lord) Coe is even more ecstatic. “We are thrilled to confirm that Boston and Wrangle will act as host locations for the Olympic flame…” he shrills.  We can imagine the scene around the committee table. “Hey! Boston and Wrangle are on the list. Oh, wow!” Or something like that.
Clearly the news has prompted Boston to push the boat out in no uncertain fashion. Four 2012 projects in the area have already received funding for Olympic projects. They include a grant of £150 to Boston’s Central Park Community Gardens - for painting five tractor tyres to replicate the Olympic rings which then be planted with colourful flowers and plants. A Turner prize winner if ever we heard of one!
On a drive into Boston down Spilsby Road, we noted a line of banners hanging from the street lights proclaiming that despite the chaotic “improvement” work in Boston Market Place, business was going on as usual. The wording on the banners is so small that we almost hit a lamppost trying to read it – but stopping would have meant blocking the road. Presumably these banners are displayed on other roads into Boston, but we can’t quite see the point. By the time you read the message, you are so close to town that you will complete your journey in any case. The fact that Boston remains open for business needs to be issued in places from where people are expected to pay us a visit. We are sure that the news of the refurbishment work has spread far and wide – and the message needs to be as well.
Never mind, soon the Christmas lights will be blazing away – and there was some unexpected news for the press-ganged levy payers of Boston Business Improvement District, who contributed £10,000 to the costs. Not only are they chipping in this year, but they are paying another £10k towards next year’s illuminations as well. Although it has been claimed that this double dip into the funds of our hard-pressed local businesses has been “previously publicised” this is the first time that we have heard of the deal. And by the sound of it, even more money could have been forthcoming had the BID not been up for re-election in 2013. And let’s not forget that next year the BID has high hopes of part funding a free concert in Central Park to the tune of a further £10,000. How easy it is to be generous with other people’s money. But will someone please tell us how this is “mproving life for our local businesses?
In a little publicised move, Lincolnshire police have introduced a new 101 number for non-emergency calls. The service will be used to report crimes such as stolen cars or damaged property, but does not replace 999 for emergency calls. The calls will be handled round the clock by specially trained staff. A police spokesman said: “We have probably missed out on calls from some members of the public who in the past have not known the number to ring, and don't want to tie up 999. Over time we hope the 101 number will become common knowledge across the county." We talked last week about two-tier policing – and now it seems we are getting two-tier crime management as well. To suggest that things such as the theft of your car is “non-emergency” implies that it is also unimportant - which is probably true as far as the police are concerned. Not only that, but the calls will certainly be handled by a centre far away from Boston – and will also cost you 15p. What a shame that we can’t bring back the days when our local police station was in the phone book, and you could ring and speak to someone who understood who and where you were  and was interested in what you were talking about.
We note that the Greater Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Partnership has been given almost £6.5m by the government to kick-start stalled housing and commercial developments. Reports say that the money is aimed at bringing forward “infrastructure” projects, such as transport improvements or flood defences. From what little we have read about the activities of this organisation, our impression is that – as is so often the case – investment benefiting Lincoln is at the top of its list. We hope that Boston Borough Council quickly draws up a shopping list and puts in a bid for funds – before the same things happens again.
Finally, we received an e-mail last week from someone who was at the South Lincolnshire Community and Voluntary Service awards where members of the public and charity groups were honoured for their work in the community. The e-mail told us: "Each award was presented by geographical area and each had a representative for their local council present an award. When it came to the East Lindsey and Boston (is this a prophetic word to come) the awards were presented by John Medler from ELDC. As Peter Bedford was in attendance, would he not have been more suitable to present the Boston awards -  very few were nominated?  It just seemed very wrong that our leader could not muster a word to honour those within his own community. All said and done the event was very well attended  - although very few groups from the Boston area were nominated "

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Our former blog is archived at: http://bostoneyelincolnshire.blogspot.com