Thursday, June 10

PRSA - "should police be called?"

Yesterday's piece about the PRSA lack of debate and subsequent walk-out has produced at two responses from Boston Borough councillors.
The first, from veteran Independent Councillor Richard Leggott, (named in a raido interview by BBI Councillor Richard Dungworth as a one of the councillors in the "old guard" who "gave an open cheque to the PRSA to spend whatever they wanted") says:
"I did not intend to further this debate through your pages, but seeing I, and others of the 'Old Guard' have been mentioned therein, please allow me to now contribute.
"The council meeting itself. Questions were asked as to financial regulations being strictly followed in the matter of writing off BSI debts. The answers failed to convince some councillors - mainly opposition members.
"There was then a proposition put forward and supported by all opposition councillors - basically 'no write-off of BSI debts before appearance of BSI to answer councillors' questions.'
"This was voted down by a solid BBI vote.
"So council returned to the write-off everything - past, present and future - proposition.
"While, as an Independent, I cannot say exactly why the other opposition groups left the chamber at this point, I had my own reasons for withdrawing from taking any further part in this decision making.
"These were: the fear that if there had already been a contravention of financial regulations, all who were party to any decision being culpable of wrongdoing.
"The inclusion of future, undefined, liabilities without any explanations from BSI, in recommendations that were clearly going to be pushed through by Boston Bypass Party left me feeling that any further participation in such decision making was, again, less than wise.
"So much for the reasons for withdrawal from participation in that particular decision-making.
"I would also make the following relevant comment for your readers.
"The ignorant, and/or less than truthful, attempts by Councillor Richard Austin and Councillor Richard Dungworth, at the council and elsewhere, to blame previous administrations for the present sum to be written off was a bit rich when we recall the BBI party's determination in 2008 to renew funding for PRSA despite opposition, including the 'Old Guard', votes against so doing - at that time and since.
"And where the figure of reducing Boston Borough Council sports facility spending to £500,000 comes from must leave many councillors baffled when the figures originally given were a saving of £154,000 from a spend of approx £1.3m. Then add back in future maintenance costs of PRSA (£70,000 budgeted in '10/'11) plus other facilities which will so qualify. Any one else get this to £500,000 total?"
Meanwhile one of Boston's newest councillors, BNP member David Owens, writes to tell us that he has written to Interim Chief Executive Richard Harbord to say:
"It is no wonder that issues have not come before full council from scrutiny, as from my shortish time as a member, scrutiny has been curtailed, obstructed and ignored so as not to rake up the past, despite efforts driven from the opposition benches to get this matter out into the open.
"John Storry tried last year, however, support for this was not forthcoming from the ruling group or officers at that time, and as such a rather pathetic "scrutiny" meeting failed miserably to get off the ground and really dig into the issue.
"I for one, feel an urgent need that this whole matter to be brought under investigation by the relevant persons in order to be certain no illegal practice has taken place.
"I am not entirely convinced that the police should not be involved in this matter at the earliest opportunity.
"Until such time as a proper investigation, I will stand opposed to the concept of writing this debt off whilst NO ONE is held to account.
"This simply is unacceptable."

You can write to us at boston.eye@googlemail.com  Your e-mails will be treated in confidence and published anonymously if requested.

No comments: