Moulder pool is making a big splash - with our money!!

The other day, we were browsing Boston Borough Council’s list of spending over £500 -and noticed some chunky sums of money heading in the direction of the Geoff Moulder Leisure Centre.

Regular readers will recall that Boston Borough Council – in the form of the omnipotent cabinet – came to the rescue of the pool with a five-year partnership between the council, the Witham Schools Federation and Boston Amateur Swimming Club.
The plan involved spending £195,000 up-front from council reserves, after which £150,000 would be repaid over five years from third party contributions, and the remaining £45,000 funded from the capital reserve – in other words, written off.
The idea was not popular with councillors other than the less than magnificent seven and it was in fact called in for re-consideration – with the usual inevitable result!
Of course, according to the council, the scheme was an instant and roaring success - with the announcement back in February that attendance at the training pool, which re-opened last September, had increased from 380 young swimmers to 580 a week.
What is not clear is whether swimmers who are members of the partnership organisations pay an individual entrance charge – or whether they are admitted under the deal which sees £30,000 a year paid off the council’s up-front contribution.
If it is the latter, then it makes no difference whether ten people or ten thousand people visit each week, as the income will remain the same.
So how’s the spending going so far?
In September last year – at the start of the deal - repairs to the centre's car park cost £5,000.
In October, refurbishment costs came to £63,000.
In November, gutter lining works cost £4,875, and redecoration of the fitness suite another £4,108.
In December, £1,284 was spent on three 42-inch plasma TVs.
Refurbishment works in January were £24,232.79.
In February, “rubber tiles and border” cost £7,000, locker refurbishment totalled £5,149, resurfacing the car park came to £1,770, and various sundry items swallowed another £1,800.
There was also a spend of £83,000 towards the solar panel installation on the centre’s roof – but that’s a different budget.
In March,  two unspecified payments to contractors for “various refurbishment works” accounted for £132,359, and £15,294, plus a new Polyflor costing £2,730 – and some more solar panel spending costing £10,516.
Ignoring the solar stuff – the total so far comes to £241,663.
There was also an earlier refurbishment charge in August last year of £16,228 on a Power Perfector - which brings the total to more than a quarter of a million pounds … so far.
There is obviously still more to come.

In its February press release, the borough announced that “during the school summer holidays when the training pool will not be used, it is to be refurbished.”
How much will that cost, we wonder?
During the debates that followed the announcement of the pool partnerships, councillors uttered the dreaded words Princess Royal Sports Arena to underline their concerns that the Moulder Leisure Centre could become a similar money pit.
Whilst it has a long way to go before it rivals that great financial debacle, it does appear that the spending seems to be getting out of hand, and we wonder whether anyone has been tasked with keeping an eye on how our hard earned council tax is being spent.

You can write to us at boston.eye@googlemail.com  Your e-mails will be treated in confidence and published anonymously if requested.
Our former blog is archived at: http://bostoneyelincolnshire.blogspot.com



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Keeping busy ... but to what likely effect?

The busiest committee at Boston Borough Council at the moment sits again today for the fifth time.  The “Social Impact of Population Change on Boston - Task and Finish Group” – which is looking at the impact of immigration in  Boston - will hear from representatives of all other Lincolnshire local authorities  –  except, apparently South Kesteven District Council.
As well as representatives from East Lindsey, South Holland,  Lincoln City, West Lindsey, and North Kesteven, the meeting will be attended by Lincolnshire County Council executive member Councillor Peter Robinson, who is a  representative on the East Midlands Councils’ Strategic Migration Board, and Sarah Short, Human Resources and Development Manager of  East Midlands Councils – a talking shop comprising 97 members from 91 local authorities, two  fire and rescue authorities, two police authorities and two parish and town council representatives.
And then – ten days later on June 8^th –  it’s the turn of local MP Mark Simmonds to grace the committee room.
Although the Task and Finish Group has met on different days since it set up shop, it has never before met on a Friday – nor in the afternoon … the meeting will be at 3-30pm.
Not that it will make much difference, but we think this is a bit of a poor show.
Immigration is one of the most significant – if not the most significant -  issues to impact on Boston and it seems a shame that our MP gets special treatment rather than be treated like the rest of the hoi polloi ... so that his visit can fit in with the traditional parliamentary practice by MPs of dropping into the constituency for a long weekend.
As we have said before, we are not gamblers here at Boston Eye – but we cannot see much emerging from either today’s meeting or Mr Simmonds’s guest appearance.
To ask questions of seven politicians will produce no answers whatsoever – because this is what politicians exist for.
Similarly, we doubt that Mr Simmonds will do much more that reiterate the highlights of his speech during an immigration debate in the House of Commons on December 12^th last year.
In it he spoke of the need for government funding that is proportional to the size of the local population - which does not address grass roots concerns - and the pressure on the police, heath and local authority services – i.e. the mixture as before.
The Task and Finish group was concocted largely as a pawn in the bigger game of preventing last year’s proposed protest march.
In that, it appears to have succeeded – because on the rare occasions members of the Protest March Group’s Facebook page  become frustrated and suggest stepping out, they are invariably told that a march will not achieve anything.
But will the Task and Finish group?
Of the various organisations invited to give evidence, the police and educationalists virtually declared that immigration issues were not a great problem – which we have to say taxed our belief.
Trade unionists insisted that the arrival of EU immigrants has had “no impact” on job availability for local people, whilst an NFU spokesman accused locals of “a lack of work ethic in terms of poor time-keeping and shoddy workmanship, a lack of enthusiasm and a disengagement with the work itself.”
And, of course, Mr Simmonds was famously heard to say: “I meet some young people in Boston who say ‘Mark, when are you going to get all these migrants out of our town, and I say to them, ‘Well, when you’re prepared to go into the fields or the packhouses.”
As meeting has followed meeting of the Task and Finish group, we have seen a pattern taking shape – a bit like a jigsaw with pieces being added slowly,  creating a picture of the likely outcome.
Sadly – and unlike other meetings – no minutes appear after each session.
But we are starting to get the impression that like the last such Task and Finish exercise – which was supposed to help Boston Business Improvement District get its act together – the result will merely see a few more trees felled unnecessarily.

You can write to us at boston.eye@googlemail.com  Your e-mails will be treated in confidence and published anonymously if requested.

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

ASB- low ... so why are we taking part in a project that can only make Boston look bad ... ?

It seemed to us that the announcement that Boston is to be one of only four areas in the country to take part in a six-month anti-social behaviour “trigger” trial, was made almost with pride when it appeared in the latest  Boston Borough Council Bulletin.

And something that surprised us was that - according to the news reports which accompanied Home Secretary Theresa May’s announcement - the trials were scheduled for just three areas ... Manchester, Brighton and Hove and West Lindsey.
But now Boston has appeared as if by magic – and earned yet another badge of dishonour to add to all the other unwanted associations that the borough “enjoys” – or rather endures.
Even more surprising is why Lincolnshire should be included in this exercise at all.
The system on trial will replace anti-social behaviour orders - which have been available in England and Wales since April 1999.
But although statistics are patchy, figures show that between then and the end of December 2008 just 77 ASBOs were issued in the whole of Lincolnshirev - placing the county third from the bottom of the list pictured below.

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If the pilot scheme is adopted, ASBOs will be replaced in Englandand Wales by two orders: the Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) and a Crime Prevention Injunction (CPI) which will have lower standards of proof and could be put in place in days or even hours.
The CBO … already nicknamed a Crimbo ... will be used against people convicted of crime, whilst the CPI is a civil order similar to existing ASBOs - but available at an earlier stage of bad behaviour and easier and faster to use.
A "community trigger" will force police, councils and agencies to act if five households  complain. We don’t know whether Boston had any say in the dubious distinction of piloting this project – but we would have hoped that if there had been an option to refuse that we would have taken it.
Although the recommendation is for a trigger of five complaints about inaction to spark an investigation, Boston Borough Council’s anti-social behaviour team is to enforce a trigger of three – three complaints from an individual, or three individual complaints from a neighbourhood about the same behaviour within a 12-month period where it can be shown that no action has been taken.
Presumably, this is to make it appear as though they are taking the problem more seriously – but it will, of course serve to skew the figures, as taking action after three complaints rather than five will generate more court orders than other areas where the recommended five is the benchmark.
Consequently, Boston will appear to be worse than it really is.
And we don’t know yet whether Lincolnshire Police will adopt a trigger of three, or five. But if they toe the  Home Office line then it will be the latter – which will further confuse things.
Well done, team.
According to Councillor Stephen Woodliffe, Boston’s portfolio holder for community safety, this initiative should help curb anti-social behaviour by encouraging the public to report such offences.
“Hopefully, this new scheme will reduce the number of instances of anti-social behaviour and help strengthen public confidence."
So, reporting more cases reduces the amount?
Peter Hunn, the council’s principal community safety officer, said Boston’s inclusion in the trial came about because of its involvement in other ground-breaking initiatives such as the ASB Challenge to help victims of anti-social behaviour, and a pilot for Families Working Together, an intensive programme to help challenging families.
Yet the figures show that anti-social behaviour - at least where it is controlled by court order - is among the lowest in the country.
So why are we so deeply immersed in something that apparently does not give us too much grief?
Dante’s Inferno envisaged nine Circles of Hell.
Had he known then what we know now, he could have added Boston as a tenth.

You can write to us at boston.eye@googlemail.com Your e-mails will be treated in confidence and published anonymously if requested.

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

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Rasen to believe why Boston's "Portas Pilot" bid failed. There's really no surprise  ...

We do not believe that anyone can have been surprised that Boston failed to persuade the judges of the Portas Pilot scheme that it deserved one of the £100,000 grants that was on offer.
We said when the third and final rewrite of the bid was submitted that it lacked sparkle – which is scarcely surprising since it was produced by a committee that started out around 20-strong yet rapidly shrank to a core group trying to paper over the cracks.
The Portas scheme invited towns around the country to compete for one of 12 grants of £100,000 each,  through a written bid backed up by a video on YouTube.
Competition was intense, with a reported 370 towns battling it out  to win the endorsement of retail guru and Queen of Shops Mary Portas, and Minister of State for Communities and Local Government Grant Shapps.
There is, however, one winning town from Lincolnshire - Market Rasen … whose bid we mentioned in Boston Eye at the time that Boston’s lacklustre effort was delivered - because it was so different and inventive.
The difference was inspiration versus obligation.
The Boston offer gave the impression that someone felt we should bid for the money because it was there and people would expect the borough to throw its hat in the ring for a share.
The resulting half-hearted application was deeply worthy, and awash with reports and information – some of which were years out of date - and jobsworthy obsession with administration in preference to action.
After a first draft allocated £10,000 for a part-time project manager, the wage was beefed up to £23,000. Then there was a massive £15,000 for “website and social media development,” £7,000 on portable displays and £3,000 on paint –  a total  which would guzzle up almost half the money available .
The group which initially met to formulate the bid comprised no fewer than eight Boston Borough Council officers and two councillors – more than half of the people there – and what might be described as genuine business representatives numbered just four.
It could explain a lot.
Leading the application for funding was the imaginatively impoverished Boston BID (though accountable  to Boston Borough Council,) whilst the other partners were  the manager of Pescod Square, the Boston Area Partnership, a “strategic” talking shop, Boston Preservation Trust, Boston Stump, Boston College, two retailers, one local businessman and – inevitably whenever the arthritic hand of the borough council is involved - the South Lincolnshire Community Service.
Quite an eclectic, although totally unsuitable and inappropriate mix, wouldn’t you say - particularly for a group whose brief is to try to rejuvenate our local high street shopping?
It was finally hacked into some sort of shape after a meeting of two Boston Borough councillors, two officers, one BID representative and one from the Lincoln chamber,  and one business representative - which shows how enthusiasm had collapsed.
Over in Market Rasen, by contrast, a Business Improvement Group appeared as if by magic.
No ballots or levies there.
Just a tightly focussed group of around half a dozen strong willed local community volunteers - all but one of them running local businesses and committed to success. Even the one who doesn’t run a business is a chartered town planner whose skills could be invaluable.
Whilst Boston talked the talk, Market Rasen walked the walk.
A lively blog bubbling with stories, ideas and information appeared almost from Day One.
Public meetings have attracted scores of local people - and a video showing real people talking about the local issues put Boston’s tedious and turgid offering to shame.
Even Mary Portas herself highlighted the video on her Twitter page – see our photo at the top of the page.
The twelve winning towns will each feature in a TV programme - which is icing on the cake.
Fifteen more "Portas Pilot" areas will be selected later this year, and we understand that Boston is hoping for better luck next time.
We are afraid that unless they resubmit a much improved and re-tweaked offering, they are destined to be in for disappointment yet again.

You can write to us at boston.eye@googlemail.com  Your e-mails will be treated in confidence and published anonymously if requested.

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

Our Friday miscellany of the week's news and events ...

 Despite the alleged Herculean efforts to address concerns about the proposed Matt Cardle concert at Boston Town football club, we can’t help but feel that more might have been done to facilitate the event had the desire to make it succeed been in the hearts of the official "experts." We were particularly struck by a couple of items in the reports of the refusal of Boston Borough Council’s licensing sub-committee to permit the event due to “public safety” fears. Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue raised concerns about the lack of emergency plans to evacuate disabled people, and a lack of traffic management plans to let emergency vehicles access the venue. We’re not sure how much planning is needed to get to somewhere in the middle of nowhere – as our picture below shows.

photo: Google maps

Not only that, but just 250 tickets had been sold – so it wasn’t exactly Glastonbury! Meanwhile, Lincolnshire Police raised concerns  that some posters had appeared in Polish offering tickets at £25 instead of £31.50 which they said could “cause tension” in the community.  Really?  The timing of the meeting, coupled with the subsequent refusal, then left it too late to re-plan the event for the original date. And so it went from Cardle to the grave  within hours. Whatever the wrongs of all this – and there  obviously were some – the bottom line is that a local businessman trying to do some good for his football club, and possibly for Boston as well, is almost £20,000 out of pocket and many of the fans planning to visit now view the town in a bad light.
We hope that all the proper paperwork is in place for Boston’s Jubilee bash in Central Park – especially with so many cabbages flying around!   We’re pleased to see that at last, common sense has prevailed, and the Jubilee fountain stands in what is now being referred to as a Jubilee Garden rather than a Victorian one. Time and again, we have pointed out the incongruity of the nomenclature, and are glad to see that someone has taken notice.
Another thing that we mentioned last week was the absence of the opportunity for taxpayers to create an e-petition on Boston Borough Council’s website. That has been put right as well – but in the council’s usual haphazard way.

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Granted, the e-petition facility has reappeared - in fact it is exactly as it was before it vanished. This includes a reminder of two polls – one for garden waste bins and the other for the return of a dog warden – both of which closed almost five months ago!
Another item of news that we like to feel we played a part in concerned a recent piece pointing out that the only leaflet promoting Boston in the local places of interest rack at a holiday cottage in the Wolds was for the Guildhall. It informed readers – in May – that free admission was available until the end of April!  Now we hear that free admissions have been extended for another year. Perhaps we helped jog someone’s memory!
We’re starting to become a little confused about how the plans to elect a Police and Crime Commissioner for Lincolnshire are working. The other week we said that Spalding-educated Lee Rotherham was the Conservative choice for the elections in November – which resulted in an e-mail from Richard Davies, who is currently Conservative County Councillor for Grantham North West, telling us that he was also a candidate. We explained to him that our “mistake” was due to the ambiguity of information available – and it now emerges that there are  “approximately” six people on the Tory shortlist for the post … although the names of the others are not yet in the public domain unless they decide to tell us!. At least Mr Davies plans to tackle a problem close to the hearts of local people if elected -  the issue of street drinking. He told Boston Eye: “Quite simply street drinking must be banned, it's a blight on our towns and is a catalyst for all manner of other problems. The police seem disinterested, and I am determined to work with local authorities to ban it throughout Lincolnshire and then dedicate police resources to enforcing the ban.”
We mentioned the Market Place yesterday, and apparently the BBC (the real one that is, not Boston Borough Council)  was so impressed by it that it decided to upgrade Boston’s status – and promote us from a town to a city. So slapdash.

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Meanwhile, whilst most  important opening events are marked by smashing a bottle of champagne against something, things are done a little differently here.

In the absence of a formal opening ceremony, we note that Messrs Brylaine appear to have taken charge of the honours. No Bollinger, La Grande Annee 2002 to mark  the foundation of the proposed Five Lamps feature - just a smear of Brylaine's trademark yucky coloured paint to announce that they are here again ...
A couple of weeks ago, we mentioned plans by Boston Councillor Raymond Singleton-McGuire to use of part his house and garden for civil wedding ceremonies, including providing parking and occasional erection of marquee in the rear garden. A number of neighbours got in touch with us  and the council to express their concerns - including issues regarding noise and road safety. However, their complaints have apparently fallen on deaf ears, as next Tuesday’s meeting of Boston’s planning committee has been recommended to approve the scheme. The number of wedding ceremonies will be no more than six a year with a maximum of 120 guests, and could run between 10am and 11pm. Events might include live music and outside catering – and there is an oblique reference to requirements if alcohol is to be made available. Looking back at our first item, perhaps someone should have asked Councillor Singleton-McGuire to organise the Matt Cardle concert!
Daftest quote of the week  (or perhaps the year) came at the call-in meeting to ask for another look at Boston Borough Council’s parking strategy. With the Tories ruling the roost in terms of numbers, it was never going to succeed, but we were tickled ... and then appalled ...  by the naive quote below from Councillor Gloria Smith  - echoing the lame excuse first advanced by Councillor Derek Richmond.

Councillor Smith doesn't share the nature of her disability, but from the idiocy of the quote we think that it must be some kind of inability to talk sense!
Something else which we read with a wry smile concerned last week’s rapid police response after a woman celebrating her birthday in the White Hart  Hotel got a little carried away and became “aggressive and verbal” towards BBC presenter Peter Levy as he relaxed after last Thursday’s Look North broadcast from the Assembly Rooms. According to reports: “The woman had left by the time police arrived … but was tracked down using CCTV. Officers issued a warning about her conduct and helped her home.” We are told that Peter Levy was “happy with the police action.” We bet he was.  Contrast such fawning around  so called "celebrities" with a recent report of a man seen on CCTV kicking road signs on the Town Bridge going on to smash a shop front window.Only later was he brought to court.
Talking of Look North, we remarked earlier in the week how it has pigeonholed Boston in terms of an area with problems such as flooding and immigration - and will continue to do so unless the authorities try to find ways to get the borough seen in a better light. An interesting example appeared in the Sunday Times motoring section a couple of weeks ago. In a feature about dangerous roads - which showed Boston as second worse in the country after North Kesteven in terms of hospital admissions caused by accidents – the following appeared.

The soubriquet Little Poland was a new one on us – and eventually we tracked the reference back to an item in the Daily Telegraph more than two years ago. Now of course, the title is back in the common currency, and we’re sure that it will appear again and  again in the future.
Still with Look North,  we noted Council Leader Peter Bedford’s claim that the number of empty shops in Boston was the lowest percentage in Lincolnshire. As far as we can find out, the figures are more than a year old – and other shops have closed since. We’re not saying Boston may not still be among the lowest – but simply trotting out ancient statistics to ward off criticism is no help at all. We must face up to the reality that much needs to be done to improve the outlook for business in Boston - and if Boston BID  can’t or won’t do it, then someone else must. Only this week the latest casualty was announced - the Giles 52 Gallery in Wide Bargate  which  is closing “purely because of financial reasons.”
Another  business which became empty recently was the Boston branch of Subway, the national sandwich company, whose spokesman said: “We hope to relocate this store in Boston town centre in the near future.”

We trust that he was not talking literally – as the photo above shows what happened the last time the store - actually the 550 year-old Pescod Hall – was "relocated." One thing that we hope is that a more appropriate tenant is found for this historic “shop” the next time round. Or why not take it on as a new and perfectly located Tourist Information Centre? If Oldrids still own it, they might be persuaded to come up with a deal with the borough council.

You can write to us at boston.eye@googlemail.com  Your e-mails will be treated in confidence and published anonymously if requested.

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

New Market Place needs a second look - and as soon as possible

 Given the ability of Boston Borough Council’s leadership to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, we are starting to wonder how much thought has been given to the operation of the newly refurbished Market Place now that is open for business once more.
From first impressions, the redesigned market layout is an improvement. There is more space. The paired rows of inward facing stalls create an intimacy that did not previously exist.
Unfortunately, despite the new design a road still has to run through the middle, because it is used by the Into Town bus service when it exits its Strait Bargate rat run.
It should be axiomatic that a pedestrianised area should not be shared with such vehicles – and now that scarcely any cars are allowed in the Market Place, the argument is almost irresistible.
Yet our “leaders” – who were opposed to the buses using Strait Bargate when there were some votes in it at last year’s election time – have subsequently done a complete volte face and pleaded impotence to act in the face of a contract which has another year to run ... although we suspect that the contract is for the bus service – and not the route it travels.
As we walked through Strait Bargate the other day, we noticed that the setts were sinking again under the weight of the passing traffic. How long, we wonder, before someone falls and injures themselves on the uneven surface - and which local authority will foot the compensation bill … the borough or the county?
Last week we published an e-mail from a pedestrian who saw several angry motorists remonstrating with a PCSO after being issued with tickets for failing to park in “marked” bays which are nothing more than a slightly different coloured stone pattern in some areas. Not only are they hard to spot in normal circumstances, they all but disappear when it rains.
Since then we have received more reports of motorists being ticketed – and big yellow signs have appeared off and on telling drivers to use the designated bays.
But, not content with roughing up shoppers and visitors, we also hear that stallholders appear to have been targeted as well.
A reader wrote to say: “Whilst in conversation with a stallholder on Saturday, I said that something seemed missing from his stall that I could not quite put my finger on. “He replied that it would be his truck full of stock.
“He then told me that traders’ smaller vehicles were parked on the Quayside and that the larger trucks such as his were parked near the dock. As the vegetable and fruit traders have to continuously re-stock their stalls throughout the day, that's a fair old distance to walk while pulling a truck full of sacks of spuds and other heavy stuff. “Undertaking this in all weathers several times a day is not quite the same as having their stock on hand at the rear of their stalls as previously.
“It seems that our governing party’s  main aim is to make life as difficult as possible for certain types of small business people who don't fit the required market profile, all they seem to be interested in is continental markets and or craft markets.
“RIP Boston Market, RIP Boston May Fair, RIP A Country Town.”
Amid all of this, we heard reports that town rangers have been out in pairs with an order form asking shop owners if they want a hanging basket supplied above their shop - for £45.
Presumably, as the rangers do odd jobs for Boston BID  - even though we believe that the BID is not their direct employer – we assume that this must be something to do with Boston in Bloom.
Certainly, it seems something of a bloomer to ask businesses that have weathered a severe financial storm during the Market Place works to pay out so much. And wouldn’t the sales pitch have been better done by the BID Chairman and Manager – thus giving them the chance to meet some of the people they purportedly “represent?”
One final thought.
Some time ago, the market on the Green was revitalised by the introduction of new, dedicated stall awnings by Boston Borough Council.
What a shame that something similar has apparently proved impossible for the redesigned Market Place - it would have been icing on the cake that would have made a crucial difference and given the place a whole new look.
It’s so obvious, we wonder why no-one seems to have thought of it.
On second thoughts – that’s rather a silly question!

You can write to us at boston.eye@googlemail.com  Your e-mails will be treated in confidence and published anonymously if requested.

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

Forget the disabled - it's the money that matters!

As predicted, the call to reconsider Boston Borough Council’s parking strategy – in particular the decision to charge disabled blue badge holders – failed after our shameless and grasping ruling party put profit ahead of people.
Yet again, it showed the leadership’s slapdash approach to disability issues –  as several aspects emerged about the way decisions were taken.
It seems that the idea of half an hour’s “free” extra parking for the disabled was the brainchild of town centre portfolio bigwig Councillor Derek Richmond, who – as far as we are aware, is not disabled - and therefore has no understanding of the problems faced by people who are.
It is also somewhat disingenuous to call this parking “free” when it is merely extra time added to a period that is being charged for.
It also emerged that no equality impact assessment was done on the extra half hour – and that disabled access to parking machines was tested by an officer in a wheelchair!
Such unrepresentative action is an insult to disabled people, as it should be carried out by appropriate organisations with experience of such assessments.
Particularly worrying in all of this is the offhand disregard of problems faced by the disabled - railroaded through by a majority clearly acting under orders from our so-called “leaders.”
Even well-argued points by the Boston Disability Forum were cast aside.
It pointed out that someone who is not disabled can walk into town; drive into Boston but park out of town and then walk in, or access public transport –all of which means that they don’t have to pay to park.
“A disabled person is unable to access public transport; unable to park out of town or walk in, and unable to walk into town.
“Therefore they have no choice but to park near the shops for accessibility, and pay to park, which on a reduced income they can't afford.
“Finally, the disabled community would be discouraged to shop in Boston town centre - forcing them … to shop where is it easily accessible with large disabled parking bays, right near the door and free - such as supermarkets and other towns who have been wise enough not to impose this parking strategy on the disabled community.”
The call to review the parking strategy was made by Boston’s three Labour councillors – Paul Kenny, Paul Gleeson and Paul Goodale, and Independent Councillor Carol Taylor.
In an e-mail to Chief Executive Richard Harbord after the meeting, Councillor Taylor said: “I was saddened with the response I received regarding the 30-minute rule.
“Apparently, if a disabled person gets back to their car a little over the time limit and sees a parking ticket on their car, they can appeal and get it revoked.
“Let us hope that it is not a person who has had a triple heart bypass and as a consequence of the impending fine suffers undue stress between receiving and appealing the fine.
“I do not need to tell you how emotive this topic is but for a member of staff to place themselves in a wheelchair to emulate 'research' and pronounce that they can reach the ticket machine is highly controversial ….
“One of the later comments was that it would be too expensive to look at this again in more detail before introduction.
“When we decided to activate the call-in, we knew that we would lose our battle …
“It is a sad day to be witnessing the complete lack of understanding and empathy from Boston Borough Council, and even worse still, that our disabled community are not worth the money to investigate further before these rulings become final.”

You can write to us at boston.eye@googlemail.com  Your e-mails will be treated in confidence and published anonymously if requested.
Our former blog is archived at: http://bostoneyelincolnshire.blogspot.com



a lone voice for Boston these days ...

Where are the
Tories when it's time to speak out for Boston
at County Hall these days ... ?

We’re not sure what our Conservative representatives on Lincolnshire County Council are doing for Boston these days.
Last Friday they attended the annual meeting but were as silent as ever when it came to raising issues of importance to the borough.
So – yet again – it fell to Independent Councillor Ray Newell to raise the flag on Boston’s behalf.
Fresh from his success in badgering the county over the issue of fast water rescue boats – which has seen Boston allocated not one, but two – he is now turning his attention to a lack of forward planning, after the Office for National Statistics reported that the borough’s population will increase by 12,000 in the coming eight years.
In comparative terms, he said that this was more than the current population of Mablethorpe, or Market Deeping, - or 80%  that of Sleaford.
“Imagine taking the population of these towns, together with their infrastructure of roads, housing, schools, businesses, hospital beds and necessary jobs, and relocating them in Boston, all within the next eight years!
“Boston’s roads are already congested.
“The schools are bursting at the seams.
“Houses of Multiple Occupation abound, and overcrowding is endemic.
“Businesses are struggling, and Boston Pilgrim Hospital has well publicised difficulties.
“Boston has one of the highest birth rates in the country.
"It is top of the list of those with no formal educational qualifications.
“Boston has a huge Eastern European population.
“Boston is the largest town by population in the administrative county of Lincolnshire, and growing fast!
“Infrastructural investment in our future makes political and economic sense.
“I suspect that the people of Boston will not willingly accept being ignored.”
During the meeting he  also raised the issue of the waste of fresh water after the Environment Agency said that around half a trillion litres is poured into the sea from Boston each year.
He asked for a brief report to be compiled on the feasibility of saving some of that water for domestic, agricultural and commercial use in Boston, and beyond; using the flow of that water to the sea to generate green electricity; and using the tidal power of two strong tides every 24 hours to supplement that generation of green energy.
He added: “The report should also encompass the £40 million water pipeline which is presently under construction by Anglian Water to bring water to Boston. I understand that this £40 million scheme will require the construction of a reservoir.”
Although the question was directed at County Council Leader Martin Hill, he sidestepped it.
Other than commenting that the water didn’t just come from Boston - but from the whole of Lincolnshire and also passed through Lincoln on its way into the North Sea – he handed over to his deputy … the executive member for economic development, Councillor Eddy Poll
The more we see Councillor Poll in action, the more we wonder whether he is a councillor first and a frustrated comedian second – or a frustrated comedian first, and councillor second.
Certainly, having chided Councillor Newell for the length of his question - “a bit more of a statement” - he then dropped in a couple of jokes that dragged out his own response unnecessarily.
The drift of his answer was that tidal flows would not generate much electricity.
But since it had started raining, the drainage systems around the county had been working very hard to pump the rainwater out to sea.
He had been discussing this very subject with the Environment Agency last week – not just the issue of farm water storage for irrigation of crops “and stuff” but also the retention of water within the system to enable us to siphon some off to provide extra supplies.
He said that we needed to capture as much of it as possible - rather than just let it go into the sea – and promised that the matter would be kept "under review."
Given his previous tenacity, we are sure that Councillor Newell will persist with questions on this issue.
The waste of so much fresh water – when it is soon to be piped all the way from Covenham to supplement Boston’s supply - is something that should concern us all.

And that includes the silent Tories on the county council as well.

You can write to us at boston.eye@googlemail.com  Your e-mails will be treated in confidence and published anonymously if requested.

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

You can write to us at boston.eye@googlemail.comYour e-mails will be treated in confidence and published anonymously if requested.
Our former blog is archived at: http://bostoneyelincolnshire.blogspot.com

CLICK ON THE IMAGE  ABOVE TO ENLARGE IT ...

 The answer is down   there ... up there ... somewhere ...

anywhere!!

Boston got the BBC treatment last Thursday - with a visit from Radio Lincolnshire and Look North presenter Peter Levy to put the town under the spotlight during his afternoon show and on TV that night as well.
It was part of a week of broadcasts by Radio Lincolnshire - who decided that it would be a good idea after all these years to get out of  Lincoln and look at other places in the county for a change.
We missed the Levy show on the wireless, but had planned to catch up with it through the Beeb’s “Listen Again” service. But unfortunately, the corporation is a bear of little brain on occasion – and could only offer the Radio Humberside version of the programme, with  a different presenter and  no mention of Boston at all.
However, by all accounts the broadcast from the Assembly Rooms was little to write home about.
As we have said before, we don't  bet – but were that not been the case, we could have made a handsome profit by predicting that the BBC’s would come up with its customary stereotypical portrait of Boston.
One item in the lunchtime radio broadcast featured Boston Protest March campaigner Dean Everitt and our local agricultural talking head, farmer Roger Welberry - in a piece about migrant labour ... which permitted the usual claims that indigenous Bostonians are work shy and have turned their back on the fields and packhouses.
On Look North that evening, there was more of the same stale coverage.
Yet again there was a feature on immigration – this time about children attending supplementary classes in their own languages to keep them in touch with their national heritage, followed by an interview with Just Lincolnshire, a charity which promotes equality, and  which is currently working on the Alchemy Project in Boston to bring communities together.
But the lead item on the programme concerned - yes, you’ve guessed it … flooding.
Look North's  Industrial Correspondent Paul Murphy reminded us that “low lying Boston is under increasing threat from rising sea levels …” and featured a piece on the proposed Boston flood barrier, on  which  we are told  that work is now unlikely to start before 2016.
The report claimed that Boston would benefit from a £500m boost for the local economy - and strangely included a brief contribution from Boston BID manager Niall Armstrong – though what the barrier has to do with the BID is anyone’s guess.
Then it was the turn of Boston Borough Council leader Peter Bedford to have his two penn’orth .
Glittering, as if fresh from the shower via the local branch of Greenwood’s Menswear, the interview went well as far as the point where the leader exchanged pleasantries with Peter Levy – i.e. the first five seconds.
Asked what proof was there that the barrier will boost tourism, the leader cryptically replied “The proof of the tourism is secondary, the main aim of the barrier obviously is flood protection, that it the primary use for it.”
Peter Levy then  launched his killer follow-up  - that Boston has not suffered any flooding since 1978.
“Umm , Correct.”
After a pause for eye rolling and consulting first the floor and then the ceiling, Councillor Bedford continued: “But the whole of the outfit to do with insurance and everything else,  errmm  is  all stacked around this issue. The Environment Agency object to any building, etc in Boston.”
Peter Levy went on to say that he had earlier been talking to fishermen.
“They say the barrier’s going to be in the wrong place, and it could cause further flooding.”
If nothing else, the leader always tries to sound confident –  and bravely, more knowledgeable than people who really know what they are talking about - in this case by giving the impression that he is wiser than the professionals whose families have spent generations harvesting our seas and might be expected to know a thing or two about tides and flooding.
“People will always say that, there will always be people with negatives. But you ask 13,000 homeowners that’s going to be protected by it which they would rather have.”
By that, did he mean which they would rather have – a wrongly placed barrier that could cause further flooding or … what?
Councillor Bedford’s estimate of the ratio between flood protection and tourism was 80% flood defences and 20% tourism.
But that conveniently sidesteps Lincolnshire County Council’s month-long postponement of a decision on its £11 million funding contribution to the scheme because it wanted to know more about the chance of the barrier being raised for lonmore  seven months of the year – which would maintain water levels for tourism purposes.
Sadly, once again the score seems to be: BBC – 1: Boston - Lost.
And sadly, once again, the great and the good of Boston appear to be complicit in achieving this result.

You can write to us at boston.eye@googlemail.com  Your e-mails will be treated in confidence and published anonymously if requested.

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

Week ending - our Friday miscellany of the week's news and events

  Off to a good start ...  a reader e-mailed yesterday afternoon to say: “As a pedestrian - I have just witnessed several irate motorists remonstrating with a PCSO! They have been issued with fixed penalty tickets for failing to park in marked bays in Boston Market Place. WHAT marked bays? If you enter the Market Place and stand in the middle, I defy anyone to spot a marked bay! On closer inspection it is just possible to make out a slightly different coloured stone pattern in some areas but they are not easy to spot - unless at close range. They are even more difficult to see when wet - all the stones go darker!  Unless the bays are painted white or yellow - the effect will be that far from encouraging shoppers to Boston - people will avoid it and go elsewhere. Struggling businesses have suffered major disruption during the last year - with no real hope of recovering lost earnings!  The town centre is now a more dangerous  place to negotiate through. There is no discernible marked roadway through the Market Place - it is a complete free for all and most hazardous  - whether on foot, cycle or in a vehicle. How long before a serious accident?  I understand this revamp has cost a couple of million pounds.  There was nothing wrong with the previous block paving. It had only been down a few years! The result of the new surface is poor -  whilst at the same time there is no money for much needed road repairs! What a waste!

There are outstanding questions about the decision by Boston Police and Boston Borough Council to order the early closure of the town’s May Fair last week. We calculate that the loss of business to the showmen must have been at least £10,000 – and wonder what assurances they may seek in the future to prevent the same thing happening again. Three years ago, the review of the fair by the council was mostly driven – as usual –  by cost. A 35% increase in charges was suggested so that the borough would not be out of pocket. It was claimed that it cost the council around £40,000 to host the fair  – which fell to less than £10,000 after rental charges. There was also an issue concerning the police presence  - with the possibility that they might  wish to recover their costs. In that event, the council planned to pass the charge on to  the showmen as well . At one stage it was suggested that the fair might vanish entirely. Is it possible that last week’s decision is the thin end of a wedge that has this in mind?

There seem to be differing views about how bad things were during the week of the fair - pictured on the left in happier days - back in 1945. Although a decision was taken to close it early, the town’s "police chief " repeatedly said that the problems were no worse than in previous years – which made the decision something of a mystery. But two events which concerned us in that same week were unrelated.  One  concerned a man walking along Carlton Road with what appeared to be an air rifle. Although he wasn’t making any threats and the gun was not loaded, he was “brought down” by a police dog and arrested. Not only that, but a police firearms team was also sent to the scene. As a weapon was involved in that incident we can perhaps appreciate the response. But in a second incident, armed officers were again deployed after reports that someone "damaged" a car with a gun in Union Place. On inspection, it emerged that the damage to the car was “inconsistent” with a firearm. Armed police sent out twice in a week? A phrase containing the words “sledgehammer” and “nut” comes to mind.
which moves us seamlessly on to last week’s Scrutiny Committee meeting which discussed the success or otherwise of the town’s Designated Public Place Order– which aims to control problems caused by drinking. The meeting heard  that a number of benches where people congregate to drink have been removed. A police officer said that this was a last resort after police patrols had been stepped up and monitoring had been unsuccessful. Benches on Windsor Bank and in the High Street were specifically mentioned. We know Windsor Bank very well, and can say with certainty that there has not been a serious police presence there  – real or otherwise – in 15 years. It is also becoming the norm to cut down bushes which people use as toilets. As with last week’s early closure of the May Fair, which played into the hands of drunks and troublemakers, we cannot help but feel that the public are the losers.
Something that goes hand in hand with street drinking is urinating in the street, and again it was interesting to note that it could be "demoted" from its present status - and dealt with instead under “a separate restorative justice programme” currently being worked on in partnership with Boston Borough Council and Lincolnshire Police. Apparently this will involve culprits apologising to anyone they have offended. Welcome to Boston– soft on crime and soft on the causes of crime …
Only last week, we mentioned a letter to the local paper which asked what the fuss was about the Olympics. Having seen Boston Borough Council’s answers to "frequently asked questions" about the journey of the Olympic flame through Wrangle and Boston at the end of next month, we wonder whether that is really worth it as well. Roads will be closed for around an hour as the torch  passes along the route, whilst staff at businesses on the route are being encouraged to turn out and cheer. The council will also “appreciate” local firms welcoming the torch with decorations– so long as they do not include Olympic insignia “for brand protection purposes.” Deliveries may be affected for up to two hours on either side of the torch relay. The torchbearers will be accompanied by a convoy of as many as 14 vehicles - including cars, trucks and buses - and up to eight police motorcycles. Vehicle owners may not park on the route on the morning of the event – which doesn’t begin until shortly after 2pm. We don’t know how you feel – but it’s not our idea of a great day out!
Of course, between now and the Olympics is the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee - and  as more and more information is emerging as to how local villages plan to celebrate,  one area where it seems seriously lacking is Boston Borough Council’s £5,000 extravaganza in the town’s Central Park. A couple of councillors made fools of themselves with the concept of a bowling match involving cabbages which will constitute a special world-record attempt. A picnic is to be staged – but YOU have provide it! Also mentioned - back in mid February - was live music, karaoke “to feature the number one hits down the years since the accession” dancing, traditional sports with special jubilee medals for the winners, games, and displays. There will also be the official turning on of an Elizabethan jubilee fountain in a Victorian garden – work that one out if you can! It’s now around a fortnight to the Big Day – but there is nothing more by way of information. Should there not soon be signs of the town becoming a blaze of patriotic red, white and blue. According to the council: “Commercial and business premises' owners are to be encouraged to bedeck their properties with red, white and blue and Boston BID (Business Improvement District) is to lend a helping hand.” That probably explains it, because …..
A week ago, we highlighted the BID’s inability to spell the word “Diamond” – which frequently appeared without the final letter in its lamentable “What’s On” coverage. We would have thought that  word might have reached them by now and that a correction would have been made. But no. Please don’t tell them, it would be a shame to wake them up.
During a recent flirtation with democracy, Boston Borough Council introduced e-petitions. They were briefly mandatory, but the compulsion was dropped as part of the Localism Bill. We suppose that may be why the opportunity to create a petition has disappeared from the council's  website. If you had a bee in your bonnet, raising a petition was a good safety valve. A couple that we can recall concerned the re-introduction of a borough dog warden, and an appeal for brown garden waste collection wheelie bins.

Now, the message above is what you see when you search for the e-petition facility on the borough website. Is it just another slice from the “Let them eat cake” brigade?

Earlier in this week’s effort, we mentioned our perceived shortcomings in the way that Boston is policed. These could soon pale into insignificance following the news that Lincoln's police station on West Parade could be sold and replaced with a “smaller facility to report crimes.” One of the forces erudite senior officers said: “We need … something that's a visible and easily accessible facility … to all residents …it's not intended to be a police station … somewhere that's more of a facility that's open for certain hours of the day … whereby people can go and deal with any issues and report issues or crimes or concerns that they have … We hope that they are re-oiling the locks in the Guildhall, because it sounds as though it won’t be long before it is brought back into service …
Last night saw the call-in debate on Boston Borough Council’s cabinet decision to approve its controversial parking strategy- which includes charging disabled blue badge holders.  It included an appeal from the Boston Disability Forum,  which stressed that a non disabled person has the choice of: walking into town; driving into Boston but parking out of town and  then walking in; or accessing public transport - all of which mean they wouldn’t need to pay to park. BUT a disabled person is: unable to access public transport; unable to park out of town or walk in; and unable to walk into town. “Therefore they have NO CHOICE but to park near the shops for accessibility and pay to park, which on a reduced income they can't afford.” Would that cut any ice? We doubt it!
Finally – we were struck by this message on the Boston Protest March Facebook site during a recent discussion - just click on the image to see an enlarged version.

A change of heart, perhaps?

You can write to us at boston.eye@googlemail.com Your e-mails will be treated in confidence and published anonymously if requested.

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

the Government's call for commissioners

Boston's "blighted streets" advance councillor's bid to be county Police Commissioner

Events of the past few days have prompted a Boston borough councillor to bring forward an announcement that he intends to stand as Police and Crime Commissioner for Lincolnshire in the elections on Thursday 15^th November.
English Democrat Councillor Elliott Fountain who represents Fenside, said that he was going to wait until June or July to make the announcement - “but due to the massive outbreak of anti-social behaviour and another recent death on Boston's streets I feel now is the right time.”
Councillor Fountain is the second Boston councillor to throw his hat in the ring for the commissioner’s job – for which a salary of between £65,000 and £100,000 a year has been quoted.
The Labour group’s deputy leader, Councillor Paul Gleeson, has been short listed as one of two party candidates for the post. Councillor Gleeson, who has lived in Boston for just over ten years, represents Skirbeck ward, and before moving to Boston lived in South Oxfordshire, where he was a district and town councillor.
The Conservatives have nominated a Spalding-educated career politician Lee Rotherham, who once handcuffed himself outside a police station in protest at red tape which removed officers from the street. Mr Rotherham once worked for the former Boston MP Sir Richard Body, and currently has a part-time role with Spalding MP John Hayes.
“I was in the Boston Borough Council’s Environment and Performance Committee meeting the other night when Inspector Phil Clark was telling councillors that Boston's streets are safe,” said Councillor Fountain.
“He then had to leave the meeting early so that he could go and shut the fair down.
“Last week at the fair there were running battles, people getting bottled and hit with wheel braces, then a few days later there has been an assault on the streets resulting in the death of a 72 year old man.”
“The streets are blighted with people drinking everywhere. I believe Lincolnshire deserves better and needs someone in charge of the police who is in touch with the community.”
The Conservative candidate already has a dedicated website called lee4lincs which sets out his policies in detail. 
Councillor Fountain expects to make some broad policy announcements in the next day or two.
Labour will select their candidate by ballot, with voting papers going out to party members the week after next and the announcement of the result being made in mid-June.
“Conservatives will be favourites to win,” Councillor Fountain told Boston Eye, “but I believe this candidate’s weakness is that he is a career politician who has run in elections all over the country. He turned his back on Lincolnshire a long time ago, whereas I am Lincolnshire born and raised - my family have been here for hundreds of years …
“For this reason I care about this area and the safety of my children and family …”
“I will be taking a one third pay cut, and will give this money to a trust to help youths start businesses. I am not sure what other candidates will come forward, but I would expect to be the youngest, therefore putting me more in touch with the youth of today ...”
“Mr Rotherham speaks about working for Sir Richard Body when he was a Conservative - but now Sir Richard is an English Democrat.
“He is in poor health and elderly, but has assured me he will try his best to visit Lincolnshire to express his support for me, which should help with the older voters because thousands of them have voted for him in the past.” 

You can write to us at boston.eye@googlemail.com  Your e-mails will be treated in confidence and published anonymously if requested.

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

Parking mad! ... will call to reconsider disabled charges do anything?

It's unlikely - as greedy Tories will probably win the day ... because they can!

 Tomorrow sees what we expect to be a largely pointless political exercise – but one which our council "leaders" can claim as an example of democracy in action.

Well, they need one from time to time.

The meeting of Boston Borough Council’s Environment and Performance Committee will consider a “call-in” of the cabinet decision on car parking strategy.
The committee has three options on - to reject the call-in request; refer the matter back to the cabinet for further discussion, or to the full council for debate.
We’re not given to betting here at Boston Eye – but if we were, we’d put our money on option one – especially given that six of the eleven committee members are Conservatives and therefore unlikely to rough up their own cabinet.
The request for the call-in  was made by the borough’s three Labour councillors – Paul Kenny, Paul Goodale and Paul Gleeson - along with Independent Councillor Carol Taylor.
They argue that disabled people were not properly consulted in the process,  because consultations were still going on when the decision was taken.
They also say that the draft strategy was not reconsidered by members of the council, and that there was not enough information on costings and consideration of alternatives.
Even if all this is true, it wouldn’t be the first time that our "leaders" have run roughshod over their council colleagues and the electorate -  and we are sure that the Tory leopard is unlikely to change its spots this time around.
The parking strategy report reads something like a fairy story – so if you’re sitting comfortably, boys and girls, then we’ll begin …
Did you know that:-
“Car parking is one of the many functions that contribute towards the success of a town centre. It does this by supporting the local economy by providing access for residents and visitors to local businesses and town centre facilities.
“Car parking also provides access for the employees of town centre businesses.
“A well managed supply of safe, secure and easily accessible car parks will add to the experience of all groups visiting Boston town centre."
The strategy has seven objectives:  to improve traffic flow and reduce congestion; increase availability of parking in areas of highest demand; support access for everyone to local businesses and amenities; protect and improve the environment; provide safe, good quality parking; provide competitive charges for car park customers that protect the council’s income - and provide a service that embraces the use of technology.
It all sounds very comforting, doesn’t it?
But what it somehow fails to mention is the bottom line - that car parking charges make a fortune for the council – and without them it could have trouble making ends meet.
This aspect is sneaked in as the penultimate “objective” - using the entertaining words to “protect” the council’s income.
The contentious decision to charge disabled blue badge holders to park will not only protect that income – it is expected to boost it by £80,000 a year – so we can understand why the powers that be prefer the word “protect” to the word “profit.”
We hope that opponents of these unfair charges will win the day at tomorrow’s meeting – because if nothing else, it would be nice to  refer the issue back for debate, so that we be assured that it has been thoroughly aired and discussed and that the council as a whole supports the charges …  and not just an unrepresentative, self appointed gang of seven Tories  in a 32 member council where the Conservatives have a majority of just four.
And while they’re about it – how about a rethink of the shabby rule that uniquely now exempts council staff and members from paying to park  –  which costs the ratepayers more than £100,000 a year in lost revenue.

You can write to us at boston.eye@googlemail.com  Your e-mails will be treated in confidence and published anonymously if requested.

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