It comes as no great surprise to learn that the proposed council tax increases for the coming year are calculated to make us weep with joy at the generosity of our masters.
Lincolnshire County Council is bragging that it is considering the lowest increase since sabre-toothed tigers stalked the wolds, and here in Boston a standstill budget is being proposed.
Only Lincolnshire Police are maintaining their greedy stance by saying that around 5% is the least they would need.
Call us cynical if you will, but we say that there is no surprise in the low level of increase to the county share because there will be elections in June, and the sheep tend to vote for the people who fleece them least.
Given that the County Council is Tory controlled, and that at the moment the world and his wife would disembowel themselves with a blunt putty knife before they would consider voting Labour, the county result would seem to be a done deal.
But there are unknown factors at work.
The current line-up at Lincolnshire County Council is 46 Conservatives, 19 Labour, 8 Lib Dem and 4 Independents (these are now known as Lincolnshire Independents ... yet another new party involving Boston Borough Council Leader Richard "Papa Dick" Austin.)
So .....
Will the new Lincolnshire Independents group campaign for each of the 77 Lincolnshire County Council seats? We would assume so, since their website claims that they "believe that all local councillors should be independent with local voters our only masters and local improvements our aim."
Will the Boston Bypass Independents put up candidates for the seven county seats which cover the borough? At the moment, Boston is broadly represented at county level with three Labour councillors, two Conservative, and one each for the Lib Dems and Lincolnshire Independents.
One would expect that the BBI would logically seek a voice at County Hall to pursue its ambitions for a by-pass for Boston ... but somehow, we doubt that they will have the nerve to field candidates.
As the Better Boston Group barely shows any interest in events at local level, we guess that they won't bother with the county elections either.
And what of the BNP?
When Councillor David Owens won the Fenside ward for the party, Wayne McDermott, the East Midlands BNP Regional Election Officer, told Boston Eye:- "I expect the BNP will win county seats next year. Boston has been waiting for a serious party to get organised in the area. People even voted UKIP before in Boston with some sizable votes. I am sure that David Owens will only be the first of several BNP councillors."
Interesting times ahead, as they say.
Write to us at boston.eye@googlemail.com Your e-mails will be treated in confidence if requested.
Lincolnshire County Council is bragging that it is considering the lowest increase since sabre-toothed tigers stalked the wolds, and here in Boston a standstill budget is being proposed.
Only Lincolnshire Police are maintaining their greedy stance by saying that around 5% is the least they would need.
Call us cynical if you will, but we say that there is no surprise in the low level of increase to the county share because there will be elections in June, and the sheep tend to vote for the people who fleece them least.
Given that the County Council is Tory controlled, and that at the moment the world and his wife would disembowel themselves with a blunt putty knife before they would consider voting Labour, the county result would seem to be a done deal.
But there are unknown factors at work.
The current line-up at Lincolnshire County Council is 46 Conservatives, 19 Labour, 8 Lib Dem and 4 Independents (these are now known as Lincolnshire Independents ... yet another new party involving Boston Borough Council Leader Richard "Papa Dick" Austin.)
So .....
Will the new Lincolnshire Independents group campaign for each of the 77 Lincolnshire County Council seats? We would assume so, since their website claims that they "believe that all local councillors should be independent with local voters our only masters and local improvements our aim."
Will the Boston Bypass Independents put up candidates for the seven county seats which cover the borough? At the moment, Boston is broadly represented at county level with three Labour councillors, two Conservative, and one each for the Lib Dems and Lincolnshire Independents.
One would expect that the BBI would logically seek a voice at County Hall to pursue its ambitions for a by-pass for Boston ... but somehow, we doubt that they will have the nerve to field candidates.
As the Better Boston Group barely shows any interest in events at local level, we guess that they won't bother with the county elections either.
And what of the BNP?
When Councillor David Owens won the Fenside ward for the party, Wayne McDermott, the East Midlands BNP Regional Election Officer, told Boston Eye:- "I expect the BNP will win county seats next year. Boston has been waiting for a serious party to get organised in the area. People even voted UKIP before in Boston with some sizable votes. I am sure that David Owens will only be the first of several BNP councillors."
Interesting times ahead, as they say.
Write to us at boston.eye@googlemail.com Your e-mails will be treated in confidence if requested.
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