Monday, September 6

BID bosses drag their heels and hope the fuss will die down

It’s getting on for a couple of months since the highly-charged annual meeting of the Boston Business Improvement District at which the majority of those present demanded the winding up of the demonstrably useless organisation.
After an acrimonious debate, it was agreed to put the matter into the hands of Lincolnshire Chamber of Commerce further to investigate public feeling about winding up the company - and when pushed it was agreed that an answer would be given within three months.
Since then the clock has been ticking - but little else has been happening.
Insiders tell us that the possibility of a vote on the future of the BID involving the Electoral Commission rather than using the back of a fag packet system which saw the creation of the organisation - has been pooh-poohed. Instead, the conspicuously useless Town Rangers are to act as postmen of, not a ballot, but what by all accounts sounds like a reissue of the BID business plan.
However, it appears that whilst it had been assumed that this job had been done, BID members have yet to receive anything - although jam is promised on tomorrow’s menu.
The Rangers’ ineptitude becomes more understandable when you learn that on a recent visit to Boston, the man from the Lincolnshire chamber’s pleasure at seeing one on patrol, (albeit in Pescod Square, which has its own security staff) was apparently marred when the ranger walked up to Wilkinson's security guards and handed them what looked like three tubes of smarties and some change!*
It appears that the BID has acquired a self-styled unelected chairman, and that the most the directors have done is to recognise that it needs to deliver on the promises made in the original business plan in order to provide real benefits to members.
According to minutes seen by Boston Eye, changes will be made “as appropriate” at the next general meeting - although none has yet been arranged. Interestingly. the directors have agreed that benefits need to be delivered and costs kept to a minimum so member’s contributions are used to better Boston and are not wasted on unnecessary admin.
Whilst it looks good on paper, it completely ignores the calls to disband the BID completely, and our suspicion that those in charge are now deliberately dragging their heels in the hope that the opposition will fade away and the status quo maintain.
According to local press reports, a number of Boston borough councillors attended the meeting where the calls to disband the BID were made, and we assume that their silence on the affair is an indication that they, too, would like to see the mixture as before. Why? Because the BID has become a useful organisation to take on jobs that the council should be doing, which saves the borough time and money, and whether they do it efficiently or not seems neither here nor there.
We hear that the next move by opponents of the BID will be to get 10 signatures and force another general meeting, and perhaps table a vote of no confidence in the board.
At least someone is on the side of the local businessmen who are tired of being taxed extra for jobs already charged for and who are fed up with seeing their money poured down the drain by a pointless and unnecessary organisation.

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*Since the Ranger was spotted playing errand boy for the Wilko patrol, a reader is offering a box of Thornton's chocolates as a prize for anyone who spots the rangers in the most unusual place. However, based on previous sightings, he will not accept reports of personal shopping, lurking down Hatters Lane having a fag, queuing at the Nationwide Building Society for more than an hour or chatting up the nice young lady at the Netto cafe!

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