We weren’t at Monday’s meeting which discussed whether or not to stage a protest march about the high level of immigration in Boston – but we know a lot of people who were.
And now that the dust has settled, we wonder who – if anyone –can take any sense of achievement from the result.
A vote result of 66 votes to 64 in favour of postponing a march is so close as to be completely unrepresentative – and as we said on Monday “From what we gather, there have been noises off, which suggest efforts to attract large numbers of “no” voters ... This calls into question how representative the meeting might be, and what would happen in the unlikely event of a vote in favour of a march.”
Whilst our  local “newspapers” painted a prosaic portrait of the evening, it sounds as though thing were actually far more tense than has been suggested.
March organiser Dean Everitt was pleased with the result, and told readers to the group’s Facebook page:  “I’m happy (that) the decision to wait for the report is the right one. There was a lot of good feedback from the meeting and I believe police and council were able to see how unhappy people are.
“Other means are now being looked at, and we’re looking at a static day of protest to create more awareness. The vote was so close last night, so council will know how high feelings are running …
However, others are not so sanguine.
One reader wrote to say: “They fixed the vote count, and I for one can honestly confirm that.
“The councillor counting for those wanting a march called me as number 47 and continued behind up to 65 and then went to three more people sat in the window who said they were for the march, making the final count 68!
“It wasn't until after the result was given that people began to talk about the final number of votes for marching.
“The next thing was that we were herded out the place, as the Assembly Rooms had only been booked for one hour, and police were called to herd every one out the place.
“I was also surprised to see many more councillors sat in the back room upstairs.
“After a short conversation outside a number of us decided to go back in and challenge the final count. We were greeted with the reply that it was right and that Dean Everitt had decided to let the result stand.
“It was at this point we saw other councillors trying to nip out unnoticed; I thought they were there to give support to the people who put them there.
Mr Everitt has told his Faceboook followers that the vote was won with a small minority not to march for the time being.
But he added: “It was brought to my attention that votes weren’t counted after people had left – (it was) therefore too late to act, so we are sticking with the decision.”
Frankly, a pretty grim picture is emerging of the whole affair.
Councillors lurking sheepishly in a back room – then sneaking off after the meeting.
A disputed vote which was reluctantly accepted.
And why was an independent “auditor” not found to count the vote?
The luckless Councillor Mike Gilbert, who holds the poisoned chalice known as the portfolio for community, apparently managed to point out how limited the council’s powers are on issues of immigration.  
In a surprisingly frank assessment of the night’s events, BBC Lincolnshire’s Political Reporter Sharon Edwards, commented:  “Everyone who spoke and even occasionally heckled and clapped from the public floor did so in support of one sentiment - there are too many foreign migrants in Boston.
“The question is how to respond. Some want to march but others are fearful that it would damage the town's reputation and might descend into chaos and even violence.
“Boston Borough Council and police were clearly relieved that the march would not go ahead, but the result was not a vote of confidence in the authorities.
“On the contrary, claims that crime had reduced in Boston during the past year were met with derision. One councillor's view that EU migration is important for the local economy resulted in heckling.
“The gulf between the protesters and the authorities on this issue narrowed with the announcement of a borough council inquiry last year.
“Now it is opening up again. For now the council and others have the benefit of the protesters' doubt - but for how long?”
The answer to that last questions is – the autumn, when the the task and finish group looking at the impact of immigration on Boston is scheduled to report.
But what can it really say?
Pretty well all the groups who gave “evidence” to the committee denied any problems caused by immigration.
Councillor Gilbert has made it clear that the council’s hands are tied insofar as its powers are concerned.
A vote to postpone a march taken by so few people and with such a narrow – and controversial – margin muddies the waters still further.
We imagine that a lot of people are now wondering whether the whole thing will turn out to be a colossal waste of time.

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