Flying visit ... After our piece the other day from a fly on the wall at the jaw-achingly named Overview and Scrutiny - Performance Review and Governance Committee of Boston Borough Council, we received another e-mail signed " Fly no.2." It reminded us: "A few weeks ago Boston Borough Council's Scrutiny performance was itself 'under the microscope' with an observer from Lincolnshire County Council present at meetings, at the request of the imposed Boston Borough Council Improvement Panel. It was in the presence of this observer that one Boston Bypass Independent councillor made their one and only oral contribution that I can recall in three years at Scrutiny with a question that, sorry to say, really sounded as if it had been written by someone else. One has to wonder whether, if that observer had still been attending (this latest) Scrutiny Committee, Mesdames Austin and Owen would have made the remarks they did on this occasion."
Day too late ... Almost a month after his death, the Boston Standard finally gets around to paying tribute to former Boston Mayor Alan Day. What is wrong with our local papers these days? There was a time when the news would have been in the next available issue. Certainly the announcement of Mr Day's death was published in the paper, but the hacks didn't realise his one-time status in Boston. It's all down to employing staff who look no older than 12 and who therefore don't understand the difference between "resistant" movements and "resistance" movements in the war. The answer is simple. There is no such thing as a "resistant" movement. We also wonder whether there wasn't a more suitable political figure to go to than Council Leader Richard Austin whose insipid "tribute" ("He was a very prominent citizen of the area for many years. He made a huge contribution to the borough") said nothing at all.
Fish and chip rappers ... Still with our local papers, we wonder what it takes to get some decent coverage of our local politics. The recent changes in party allegiances were so cursorily covered, that Councillor Michael Brookes has founf it necessary to write to the local papers to explain the reasons behind his decision. Ironically his letter is precisely the same as the one published in Boston Eye more than a fortnight ago. Have our local papers no shame?
It takes two ... The famous Boston Bulletin (so good they did it twice) has hit the buffers sooner than expected. Last week, as we eagerly waited for Issue No 2 to hit our e-mail boxes, we received instead the following blithely worded e-mail. "Hi, due to unforeseen staff sickness we will be unable to send the above out today as previously advised. We would hope to be able to send the next issue out in a week or so if you could please bear with us. Many apologies Communications Department Boston Borough Council." Stick that in your pipe and smoke it! Is this bulletin really such a complex affair that it can only be handled by one person. If so (and we can't believe it is) then a deputy wants appointing and training pdq.
Waves loom at pool ... After our early warnings following the issue of leisure services contracts to a private contractor Leisure Connection, we were interested to read that concern is already being expressed that Boston Swimming Club may not be allowed to use the Geoff Moulder Pool for training anymore and therefore not being able to offer the service its has been doing to the people of Boston. Councillor Raymond Singleton-McGuire, with whom the concerns were raised, took the issue up with Boston Borough Council. The reply he reports on his blog here included the leaden words that the club was offered "opportunities" to generate the additional income through discounted access to the Geoff Moulder pool and support for additional events, free attendance at Leisure Connections training events for swimming club officials to improve lifeguard cover and reduce costs further, and that there would be no increase in fees to the club this year. Hopefully the Boston swimmers (if they are allowed in) are hoping to avoid the plight faced by Grantham Swimming Club, which for almost 80 years in harmony with the local leisure centre. Enter Leisure Connection, and the club, which receives no subsidies, has had to sustain increases of 25 per cent over three years with no room to negotiate on better pool times. Be afraid, be very afraid. If you've not visited it, the website devoted to the crass treatment Leisure Connection metes out to its customer can be found by clicking here .
Parting shot ... Having earlier mentioned the death of Alan Day, we recall an amusing anecdote which shows how the role of "yoof" has changed in the last 60 years. As the war ended, the young Alan, who joined the RAF at 18, was shot down in his Spitfire, and who received the Distinguished Flying Cross and Bar, found himself based in Italy. He was told by his commanding officer to take a lorry and drive himself to Rome for some rest and recreation. Sadly, he told the CO that he was unable to comply - because he had never learned to drive!
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