It is "yo, ho, no" to Christmas lights?

Christmas in Boston could be a gloomy affair if what Boston Eye hears about provision of seasonal lights is true.
Way back in January Boston Borough Council raised an item at a meeting of Boston BID saying that the Council’s existing contract for Christmas lighting had expired and they were considering lease agreements in future at a cost of around £35,000.
The cunning plan was that the council would would throw in £25,000 saved by the ending of the existing contract towards the proposed new leasing agreement, and the missing £10,000 would come from the BID.
Initially, the BID liked the scheme but wanted to know what kind of lighting would be provided, where the lights would be located, and if it was possible to extend the areas covered.
But a month later, the council officer who initially raised the idea said that due to the proposed Market Place refurbishments it might be wise to put the Christmas lighting project on hold, and the BID board agreed.
So - are we in line for a gloomy Christmas? Time will tell.
Meanwhile, Boston Borough Council has met with Boston BID.
As a result, a cross party group has created yet another committee - to look into the many concerns and issues surrounding the Boston BID.
As we see it, the major concern is that the “members” of the BID have been compulsorily co-opted into the organisation and forced to pay a levy that by and large provides services that they are already paying for via their business rates.
We have to say that we doubt that the committee will find other than in favour of keeping the BID alive.
Boston BID now performs a number of jobs on behalf of the council.
It has taken on the management of the government funded project to mitigate the blight of empty shops in the town centre; is apparently running “Boston in Bloom;” is proposing producing a town centre map as a companion to the laughable business directory, and - according to February’s meeting - is investigating the possibility of running the Tourist Information Centre. And of course there was the council plan that we have just mentioned to get the BID to chip in for the Christmas lights.
Why wouldn’t Boston Borough Council want the BID to continue and flourish?
Each year it extracts £100,000 from the town’s traders under threat of legal action and a criminal record if they refuse to pay.
Over its the five year life the BID will extort half a million pounds, which is increasingly being spent on projects that are - or were previously -the responsibility of Boston Borough Council but for which the council does not have the money.
Expect no surprises when the council publishes its evaluation of Boston BID.

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