Whilst some people collect stamps or old comics, the more fortunate  – like Boston Borough Council’s joint deputy leader Councillor Raymond Singleton-McGuire – collect luxury cars.

And now another side to our collecting councillor has emerged. He keeps “a vast and organised library of council reports and agendas at his home.”
We’re sure that it’s just the job on these dark and chilly winter nights to be able to curl up in front of a crackling log fire and lose oneself in a set of dusty old council minutes – although it’s certainly not our idea of a good time.
Nonetheless, the collection has enabled Councillor Singleton-McGuire to announce that Boston Borough Council is unrecognisable from the troubled authority it was just a few years ago.
The announcement on the council website came as Councillor Singleton-McGuire presented the council's quarterly performance report to the cabinet.
He said audit and governance committee papers from May 2009 showed many concerns about overspending, the financial viability of the Princess Royal Sports Arena/Boston Sports Initiative and publicity regarding Boston Area Regeneration Company.
"In fact, after reading this, it would be hard to believe we are talking about the same council after only two or three years."
In his paean of praise he says that the council has been turned around.
“We are operating now on £2 million a year less, but despite these difficulties Boston Borough Council continues to improve."
Among the triumphs reported was an £11,000 saving on the cost of a new mower as a result of "innovative" control of costs.
 "A much-needed mower has been purchased for £14,000 - value for money, given new mowers tend to retail at £25,000. We had a new mower on trial, which then made it ex-demo, so we purchased it at the reduced ex-demo cost!" he said.
We must remember that particular stunt when next we want to change our car!
Among other triumphs cited are above target waste recycling figures, increased occupancy at Boston Market and increased swimming pool admissions.  
The report ends with Councillor Singleton-McGuire claiming: "All in all it's a good news story".
It is and it isn’t.
As is so often the case with political claims, the information is somewhat selective.
There is no mention of the big allowance increases awarded over two consecutive years – first to all councillors and then to the top twenty with extra responsibilities.
Nor has the unpopular decision to raid the pockets of the disabled by charging them to park.
And somehow, the equally unpopular sale of the publicly owned Assembly Rooms – which has seen the closure of the only truly town centre public toilets – seems to have gone unnoticed.
“Concerns about overspending, the financial viability of the Princess Royal Sports Arena/Boston Sports Initiative” have not gone away, and the council is still paying into the white elephant fund – although with little by way of information being given out.
Many of the most unpopular decisions have been taken in secret – usually by the Cabinet of Curiosities – with even fellow councillors being left out of the loop.
As we’ve said many times before, we do so hate it when the ruling Tory group declaim their version of events as the truth,  and assume that we voters are stupid enough to take their word for it.
FOOTNOTE: At the end of October, the post of district auditor ceased to exist and external audits moved to the private sector, and Chief Executive Richard Harbord observed that on a practical note “we know very little of how our new auditors will work from November 1^st  - but as soon as we do we will let people know.”
On the council website, Councillor Singleton-McGuire announced: “There has been a saving of £32,000 on the auditor's fee, brought about by robustness and careful control of Boston Borough Council's finances giving value for money and streamlining of work by our new auditors."
Who they then …?

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