Newell speech "shows how ill-informed BBI is"

Bypass campaigner Michael Borrill has responded with criticism and damnation with faint praise to the hair-raising performance by Councillor Ramonde Newell at the last full County Council meeting (see last week's blog)
In a letter to Boston Eye, he writes:
"The Boston Bypass Pressure Groups spent many hours of their valuable time contacting and discussing with councillors, officers and others of the vital need of a bypass for Boston to support the economic progress of Boston and the surrounding area.
"When the BBI was elected with a large majority, thanks partly to the help and support of the pressure groups, and took control of the borough, it was assumed pressure would be put on Lincolnshire County Council to give Boston 'a fair share of the cake.' How wrong this turned out to be!
"Leaving aside the problems that they have initiated or are failing to deal with adequately in the borough of Boston, their actions at Lincolnshire County Council are giving the town a poor image. "The latest speech by Councillor R Newell at the full council meeting at Lincoln shows how ill informed the BBI are.
"I realise that Councillor Newell now sits at Lincoln as an Independent (I cannot see how you can represent one party on one council and be separate on another) but that is entirely tactical. "Councillor Newell does not appear to have much knowledge of what has been happening in the county - especially with regard to the provision of roads and indeed, Grantham is a larger town than Boston ... although I would agree with him that the immigrant population would appear to be greater in the Boston area than elsewhere. The recently published birth statistics would certainly give grounds for this to be correct.
"The proposals planned for the county's road construction are public knowledge and it surprises me that before Councillor Newell stood up at a full council meeting he had not done his homework.
"Lincoln already has one bypass and is proposing that a further two, the Eastern and the Southern, are built to make a full circle of the City. There is also the prospect of a further major scheme from the centre of the City to Canwick Road.
"Councillor Newell does not seem to know much about 'the strategic route to the sea,' in that Burgh le Marsh does not have a ring road and is not a town. Burgh le Marsh does have a bypass. I am sure that Spalding will be very pleased that their push for a second bypass has progressed! In fact, Lincolnshire County Council are including this proposed scheme in the next Local Transport Plan.
"Councillor Newell will also be concerned to note that work is progressing with traffic problems in Stamford with the possibility of a bypass in the future.
"If Councillor Newell would like to read the notes/minutes of the Highways Policy Development Group of the 6th April 2009 I am sure he would find it most helpful.
"Boston is not included in any mention of a bypass.
"Having said all this, it is pleasing to note that at least someone is trying to look after our interests albeit not too well."
Michael Borrill
Wyberton Fen

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