When the news that Boston is to get £1 million to spend over the next ten years was announced last December – one important point was emphasised again and again ... that this was something for the people to spend and not our self-styled masters.
The award was made by an organisation called Big Local – which is handing out funds from the National Lottery – that are then  being overseen by something called Local Trust to bring together “all the local talent, ambitions, skills and energy from individuals, groups and organisations who want to make their area an even better place to live.”

On its website, Big Local declares:

 ◦ Communities will be better able to identify local needs and take action in response to them.

 ◦ People will have increased skills and confidence, so that they continue to identify and respond to needs in the future.

 ◦ The community will make a difference to the needs it prioritises.

◦ People will feel that their area is an even better place to live.

And in a section headed “What’s it not about? “it emphasises

 “It’s NOT about your local authority, the government or a national organisation telling you what to do.

“It’s NOT about individual groups fixing their favourite problem without talking to a wide range of different people who live and work in the community.”

That’s pretty unambiguous.

So, why has the man tasked with overseeing the Boston scheme invited members of the 16-strong Boston Town Area Committee to a special briefing meeting next month?
The invitation has been e-mailed to the entire committee – even though only six of its wards are set to benefit.
They are described as the “most deprived” and comprise – Staniland South, Pilgrim, Skirbeck, Boston Central, Witham Ward and a small area of Fenside.
The man delivering the briefing is Ivan Annibal, who has had an impressive career in local government.
He now heads a Lincoln based group called Rose Regeneration   http://www.roseregeneration.co.uk/  –  described as “Economic Development Practitioners”
Whilst the borough council e-mail invitation to BTAC says that Rose Regeneration is “involved” in the Big Local project, the company website simply describes Mr Annibal as a 'Big Local Rep.'
He is also referred to in this way on the Big Local website, which says he will “support local areas in deciding how to spend their allocations.”
We mentioned our unease about this grant within days of it being announced on BBC Radio Lincolnshire by Mandy Exley, the South Lincolnshire Community Voluntary Service Community Development Officer.
 “There’s no government arm in Boston involved in any of this,” said Ms Exley. “It is totally community led.”
Later in the same interview, she insisted:  “This money will not be dictated by Boston Borough Council; it will not be dictated by our organisation, the CVS.  It will be totally dictated by the local community. We are absolutely there to galvanise this community into action. It is their say where this money is spent”
Having said that, she went on to tell us that she and “colleagues and partner agencies” of the Lincolnshire Community Foundation –  the biggest grant making trust in Lincolnshire –  are all going to be working together to help the residents work very, very closely with the lottery so the residents are equipped to manage this funding.
“There will be extensive community consultation done right across Boston, so everybody will have a say.”
Then there was mention that SLCVS would be sending one of their officers and another from Boston Borough Council to Ipswich, to see how a successful grant scheme there has worked – closely followed by the possibility of involving the pre-existing Placecheck schemes set up by the council and the SLCVS.
So this “community” project may well now involve Boston Borough Council, SLCVS, a Lincoln-based “Big Local Rep” – and also the Boston Town Area Committee.
We’re sure that no-one needs reminding of the criticisms repeatedly levelled at BTAC – that with its inbuilt Tory majority … which includes three cabinet members – it generally does what the cabinet tells it to.
So far, we seem to have a severe case of too many chiefs and not enough Indians  – and that’s before a single idea has been put forward as to how to spend this money or a single member of the public has apparently been recruited.
When the grant was announced, Councillor Mike Gilbert, Boston’s portfolio holder for communities, said: “The allocation of this funding is brilliant news for Boston. Wisely spent it will make Boston a great place to live.”
Councillor Gilbert is also the chairman of BTAC.

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