Crackers! Christmas debate turns into
a load of baubles!
Join us now for a ringside seat at last week’s special
meeting of BTAC – called to discuss last year’s Christmas lights fiasco.
Ringside might be
the best possible word in the context – as by all accounts the lengthy session
had more of the circus about it that the council chamber. Certainly there
appeared to be no shortage of clowns.
Your guide to the evening is local businessman Darron
Abbott, who is keen that the town be seen in a better light this Christmas – although once you’ve
read his report, you may feel as we do that this appears increasingly unlikely
ednesday 22nd February, 6.30pm, the council chamber –
finally we get to find out what went wrong with the with the 2016 Boston
Christmas event. The meeting was open to the public, and was billed as not
being held to apportion blame, but to move on to the future.
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There were actually some members of the public in attendance –
five of us in total, three people from a volunteer organisation, Councillor
Jonathan Noble and me. Not bad for a meeting that had not really been
publicised – not even a mention in the great Boston Bulletin.
The
chairman, Councillor Nigel Welton, announced that the meeting would be recorded
… was this a glimpse of a future of openness and accountability form the
council or just to stop the council's officers being able to rewrite history to
fit their own needs (but that is a story on its own.)
One
thing that was a surprise at this point was the fact that no one from the
infamous Town Team were present; instead, the Lincolnshire Chamber of Commerce supremo Simon
Beardsley.
Once
the pleasantries were out of the way I was allowed to ask my question, which
centred on the ownership and the cost of the projectors used for the lighting
display, as there seemed real confusion regarding this, and even the agenda
notes for the meeting added to the confusion.
The
reply came back, but it did not really answer the question other than to
confirm that they had not been purchased but did not answer the lease or hire
part.
“I then
proceed with my supplementary question, in which I asked for a breakdown of how
the £35,000 grant (from BTAC) had been spent.
The
reply came back from an officer that the figures had been
audited by an independent accountant and all was OK.
There
was no offer to make these amounts public. I pressed again for a breakdown; it
was then referred to Mr Beardsley who would not confirm that the breakdown would
be made available to the public.
Why would they be reluctant to let us know how
they had spent our money?
The
meeting then continued mainly with statements from the members of the committee
– most of which expressed surprise about the ownership of the equipment. Many
of the committee had been given the impression that the equipment had been
purchased and would be available for use at other times.
The
other point that kept coming up was the fact that the actual display was
nothing like that presented to committee by the Town Team.
There
were statements from two senior committee members. Councillor Brian Rush said he had
not become involved in the sub-committee to overlook the spending as he knew it
would all go wrong and did not want to be part of it. Perhaps if he had been
involved it would have meant he would have had to shoulder some of the
responsibility.
Councillor
Alison Austin apologised for not getting involved when perhaps she should have
done – seeming to suggest she had not had time. Perhaps this was to ease her
conscience for not having the time to help for the event but being able turn up
and ensure she was in most of the photographs!
The
funniest statement of the evening was his worshipfulness Woodliffe, who had
seen nothing wrong with the event. It was marvellous, wonderful. I think
he thought the Santa Claus present at the event was the real one.
The
gnashing and wailing went on for well over an hour,. During this time to his
credit the chairman did state that they were all guilty of neglecting to ensure
the money had been spent wisely.
What
was becoming apparent was that no one present was confident in allowing the Town Team or Chamber to be allowed to take on the event in the future.
Towards
the end of this session, Councillor Yvonne Stevens spoke, being very critical
of the Chamber’s handing of the event.
When
she finished she was approached by the council's monitoring officer and taken
outside, which seemed very strange. She had not appeared to say anything
controversial, so why would a council officer interfere, she was only there for
guidance.
After a
few minutes, Councillor Stevens returned to the chamber. The monitoring officer
returned a few minutes later with an A4 sheet of paper and passed it to the
chairman.
After
reading what was on the paper, the chairman called a break in proceedings to
allow refreshments.
The
contents of the notes on this sheet of paper will never be known to us, the
public, unless in the spirit of openness and accountability shown by Councillor
Welton at the start of the meeting he would like to anonymously supply Boston Eye a copy! I am sure his identity
would not be revealed.
Whilst
most people’s attentions were being diverted, getting cups of coffee and having
a chat, at the other end of the chamber there were obvious discussions going on
centred on the contents of the notes produced by the monitoring officer.
Was it
the fact that no one wanted the chamber involved; but this is not what had been
agreed in some kind of shoddy deal between the officers and chamber prior to
the meeting?
The
meeting then recommenced, with Simon Beardsley stating the town team had
appointed a new chairman who was one of the town’s largest retailers, but whom
he declined to name.
They
had already had meetings with Pescod Square about their lights and their
lighting supplier, and that they had already started planning for the 2017
event.
This
was not what a majority of those present wanted, so it was put to Beardsley as
to whether the Town Team would like to be involved in community lead team. He
did not like this. He “would have to go back to the Town Team and ask them as
he could not speak on their behalf.”
Why in
hell was he at the meeting if he wasn't representing the Town Team? It seems
that if the chamber were not running the show. They were not interested.
In the
end, it was resolved that a committee be set up by March under the guidance of
BTAC of residents and business, with the chamber if they wished and possibly
the Federation of Small Businesses to run the events for the town.
It was
also suggested that matched funding of up to £10.000 would be made available by
BTAC and that any interested members of the public should contact Janette
Collier from the council.
Then on
Friday the council issued a press release stating people who are interested
should contact the Chamber of Commerce in Lincoln, which was not what was
agreed at the meeting!
A ‘phone
call to the Chamber of Commerce revealed that lady responsible does not work on
Fridays, and would not be able to answer my questions as she was not going to
be told she was responsible until Monday.
***
In its “account” of the meeting, the Worst Street website
informed us that a new group had been formed to include something calling itself Boston
More In Common Facebook Group.
On its Facebook page, the group itself asks “So...what is Boston
More In Common? It is a group started by like-minded people to foster a sense
of open friendliness between the rich tapestry of nationalities and cultures we
are lucky to be home to in Boston, Lincolnshire. .. it is a place that we are
trying to create to encourage interaction and integration ... to make us all
realise that Boston is now 'Home' to many people, and we are all 'Bostonians'
wherever we were born.”
We wait with bated breath so see how this will translate
into a stonking display of lights this year.
***
We hear that Worst Street is planning yet another of its
pointless “Task and Finish” groups – this time to take a look at on impact of STP
on the Pilgrim Hospital.
Until now STP was better known as a go-faster fuel additive –
but this particular set of initials stands for Sustainability and
Transformation Plan – a five
year plan to improve quality and develop new models of care; improve health and
well-being and the efficiency of services at the Pilgrim Hospital.
Task and finish groups may be established by a scrutiny committee
to conduct an in-depth review of any service, policy or issue that affects the borough,
which falls under the remit of the committee.
Given that Boston Borough Council seems incapable of running
its own affairs, we can only wonder why it has the impudence to believe it can
tell others how to manage theirs.
Its track record to date has not been impressive.
In recent years we have seen a report on the social
impact of population change in Boston – which has been a source of considerable
criticism, a report on the lamentably awful Boston Business “Improvement” District
which saw recommendations that were completely ignored, and more recently a
rural isolation task and finish group. Whether that achieved anything we have
no idea.
Then of course there is the almost forgotten Prosperous
Boston task and finish group, which we have dubbed the Preposterous Boston. By an ironic coincidence, as we dictated this
sentence, our voice recognition software decided to call it the task “unfinished”
group.
When the committee was established in 2015, Worst Street
called it "one of the most in-depth studies into what makes Boston tick" aimed at
making the town better for residents, shoppers and for those who work and visit
here.
The group meets in secret, and does not publish minutes –
but we are promised a final report will appear on the borough’s website, which
if they are running on schedule should be any time now.
Preposterous Boston’s next update will be discussed on
Wednesday a meeting of the Environment and Performance Committee – and a look
through the report suggests that most of the things proposed are mere relatively
minor aside from a plan for a food festival in September and the introduction of some Big Brother
heavy-footedness.
We have no idea where the food festival idea has come from …
but Spalding has staged something similar in previous years over two days – and
this year is reviewing whether to repeat the exercise due to poor attendance
figures.
***
There was also mention of a squad of “environmental
enforcement” officers starting work
through a third party organisation this week and a bid by
Worst Street to get permission for its first RIPA surveillance operation using
a covert camera, in an area subjected to continual fly tipping.
For those who don’t know, RIPA is the Regulation of
Investigatory Powers Act 2000 which controls the powers of public bodies to
carry out surveillance and investigation, and the interception of
communications – and was created to fight terrorism and serious crime.
***
What we’ve read so far is not particularly earth-shattering
but we were pleased to note that the group has at least rattled the cages of
the Head of Town Centre, Leisure, Events and Culture, the Town Centre Services
Manager, the Principal Museum, Arts and Heritage Officer and the Partnerships
and Sustainability Manager.
With all these big names getting involved, success surely
cannot be far behind.
***
Also in the report, mention is made of concern at a damaged
road sign on the A52 approaching the town, which has gone unrepaired for many
months.
Whilst members agreed that it reflected badly on the town
and needed to be straightened “it was not within Boston’s remit to do so as it
was County Highways responsibility.”
Things will never improve whilst attitudes such as this
survive.
***
Local websites have been awash this week with the snap below
of our Police and Crime Commissioner, his deputy and a couple of other macho
characters posing alongside a car that once belonged to a hare courser, and
which has been seized and crushed.
Whilst we have no problem with depriving these people of
their transport, we wonder whether the vehicles could be put to better use.
We are sure that charities, for example could use a
four-wheel drive or two to help them collect donations, or various groups that
try to help others.
If nothing else, could the vehicles not be auctioned, and
the proceeds used to support good causes?
Whilst it’s now unrecognisable, we wonder whether the
vehicle in the photo was once a Vauxhall Courser?
***
Tonight’s full meeting of the council will be discussing and
voting on the proposed council tax increase for the year ahead. But don’t
expect any surprises, or last minute reprieves.
A reader who contacted Worst Street in the middle of last
week with a query was told that it wasn’t possible to access council tax
information that day “because we’re printing out the bills.”
***
Our recent piece on the quality of local “newspapers”
stirred some fond memories for Boston Eye reader Tony Eves, who e-mailed us to
say:
our comments regarding the Boston Standard over the past few
blogs have been spot on, and the latest reference to twelve reporters and a
senior reporter dedicated to local government shows just how devalued a once
respected newspaper has become
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“That senior reporter you refer
to is probably (I hope!) my father, Allan Eves. As a child I remember he used
to attend all the council meetings, often until late at night, then spend hours
writing the report either in the office in Wide Bargate or at home. He never
seemed to express a personal opinion (until 'Spectator'
many years later after retirement) but always appeared to know personally most
of the local councillors and what they thought.
“As you say, in those days the
council and the members were more accountable because there were real people
looking at them, listening to them, talking to them and asking questions to their
face.
“Sometimes, privately, he wasn't very complimentary but,
publicly, it wasn't his place to be so.
“Going back even before those
times I remember he used to go out reporting - knowing something happened but
going out to find out more. I once sat in the car just past the (as was) Sibsey
railway bridge one weekend while he talked to someone who had escaped a car
accident in a drain.
“Earlier still one of his
memories was of visiting the relatives of recently deceased gentleman to record
the details of his life then being asked to go into the front room and have a
look at the late lamented as he lay in his coffin on the table.
“Sad as it is a newspaper these
days seems to rely on items being sent in to them from various social media
sources then arranged on a computer generated page with few checks on grammar
and spelling.
“And as an afterthought, my
mother worked as a reader with Meg Comer
for a few years at the then Lincolnshire
Standard so there were plenty of checks
then.
“Apart from the inevitable
computer 'spellchecker’ is there anything else these days?”
***
Finally, one of those delightful
errors that slip unnoticed through the system. This comes from the Preposterous
Boston report on the appointment of environmental enforcement officers and asks why their tasks cannot be combined with those of the traffic wardens.
Or perhaps it wasn’t a slip of
the pen after all!
You can write
to us at boston.eye@googlemail.com
E-mails will
be treated in confidence and published anonymously if requested.
Our former
blog is archived at: http://bostoneyelincolnshire.blogspot.com
We are on Twitter – visit @eye_boston
