Monday, May 17

A chance to change the system

Welcome back. We hope you enjoyed our holiday.
As politicians struggled for power following the general election, the people of Boston were being asked to form their conclusions about how the borough should be managed in the future.
The issue is one that we have mentioned before - the choice between what is more or less the status quo - a leader appointed by councillors - or a directly elected mayor chosen by the punters.
Right now, Boston Borough Council is asking us to complete a simple survey which for once doesn't devote more space to questions about our ethnicity, sexuality, religious persuasion and inside leg measurement than it does to the issue at hand.
It simply asks which option you prefer and what your postcode is - a consultation so simple that all of us who are able should take part in it.
But which is the better option?
When first we wrote about this, we felt that the problem with having an elected mayor was that there would be no figure big enough to fill the post.
But cometh the hour, cometh the man (or silly old woman) and our musings have led us away from the idea of keeping the present system.
It is broken and it does need mending.
Whether accidentally or deliberately, successive administrations in Boston have confused the role of "leader" with that of dictator.
It's something not uncommon - how many of us have bitter first-hand experience of "managers" who think the job title means giving orders, patronising where they should be encouraging, and using the stick in preference to the carrot.
An elected mayor would hopefully bring an end to this ever present danger.
The post holder would be directly chosen by the public for a four year period and would not be a councillor or even a member of a political party. He or she would not have an area to represent and would operate full time as mayor, choosing up to nine councillors to make up the cabinet.
The more we think about this, the more we like it.
Even though we, the hoi polloi, are being asked for our views, councillors (ie the cabinet) will make the decision in the autumn - so expect a vote for the status quo.
In the meantime, ponder these wise words from The First Book of Ayres by Thomas Campion, written in 1613.

Wise men patience neuer want ;
Good men pitty cannot hide ;
Feeble spirits onely vant
Of reuenge, the poorest pride :
Hee alone, forgiue that can,
Bears the true soule of a man.

Some there are, debate that seeke,
Making trouble their content,
Happy if they wrong the meeke,
Vexe them that to peace are bent :
Such vndooe the common tye
Of mankinde, societie.

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