Week ending 31st July

Blast from the past award of the week (1) goes to former Boston Borough councillor Ernie Napier who echoes our feelings in a letter to the Standard in taking Councillor Major (retired) Ramonde Newell to task for his recent "rotten borough" comments.
Blast from the past award of the week (2) goes to Mr Napier's former colleague Ossy Snell who also has a letter - this time in the Target - slating the galloping major for a string of inaccuracies in an even earlier letter. We think he speaks for each and every one of us when he says: "Until Councillor Newell knows what he is writing about, it might be better if he stopped writing."
Blast from the present (1) and (2) come from the blogs of Boston Borough Council Tory duo Myles Larrington and Raymond Singleton-McGuire, both of whom give Councillor Newell a thrashing. Councillor Larrington wryly suggests that as Councillor Newell seems so keen on writing, he should take up blogging as well. Now there's a thought!
Taking their ball away award. Boston College may have had its plans for a new campus in the town thwarted, but undeterred, it is playing a major role in a £6 million "food centre" to provide a focal point for the Lincolnshire food and drink Industry. The location? Red Lion Street. The problem? It's Red Lion Street in Spalding!
Local traffic management gone mad award goes to the Blackfriars Arts Centre. Although the traffic signs indicate that it is possible to use Spain Lane to drive between John Adams Way and South Street, it seems that the luvvies have other ideas. On Wednesday, two cars double parked at the point where the lane narrows made it impossible for traffic to use the lane. And if that wasn't enough, Blackfriars had further blocked it with display boards advertising their forthcoming shows. Let's hope they never need the fire brigade in a hurry!
Class half empty award goes to our old friend and white elephant the Princess Royal Sports Arena. Despite all the efforts to get people to use the facilities, membership is stagnant at around the 1,000 mark, and some classes are seeing a turnout of ten per cent. But even those looked good compared with Wednesday's core ball classes (whatever they are) which drew no participants for the entire month of May. Good to know that the few who do use the place are getting value for the taxpayer's contribution - although the council is apparently refusing to be quite as generous as previously. Whilst Boston Sports Initiative rattled the bowl for more, they have had to settle on a miserly £176,000 for 2009-10. Time for some radical action here, wethinks.
Drugs, rock 'n roll (but no sex) award of the week) goes to the court report in the Boston Standard which describes the discovery of a "rap" of heroin. You hum it and I'll play it, son.
Usual old claptrap award of the week awards goes to .... guess? "The engagement days we have got lined up follow on from our local survey ... with a number of residents providing important information about quality of life issues and local ... expectations. We plan to tackle many of the issues raised through a partnership approach. One of our key priorities will be looking to encourage a positive relationship between local youths and older people, which we hope will help address misconceptions between two very differing generations." Answer? The useless Police Community Support Officers ... aided and abetted by Boston Borough Council, Mayflower and Longhurst housing, Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue and South Lincolnshire Community and Volunteer Service. The words describe a series of days manning a caravan in a local play area. These time-wasters need to find something useful to do rather than ticking boxes!
Clue to tougher times ahead? We note that an anagram of interim chief executive Richard Harbord's name comes out as "Hard horrid crab." If there's any nipping to be done, we can suggest a few nominees!


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