What a load of old mothballs!

It hardly seems five minutes since we mentioned the Budget Consultation survey that appeared on Boston Borough Council's website, inviting us, the great unwashed, for our views on how the borough's £10,500,000 kitty should be spent in the year ahead.
Moving with what appears to be amazing and uncharacteristic speed, the survey has now been closed, and we have been thanked for our contribution.
Tonight, the cabinet is being asked to agree the Draft Corporate Plan 2010/11 and the draft budget for the same year, to go forward for consideration by the Joint Boards (whatever they are) next Monday.
We downloaded the budget document last Friday.
The consultation survey was first publicised at the end of the first week in January, and, given that the report has taken some time to compile, we have cynically to conclude that barely any time was available to take into account the responses of the public.
More money wasted on needless surveys where public opinion is sought but ignored.
The headline is that we should expect a 3% increase in council tax, which works out at £5 a year for a band D property, a 3% increase in fees and charges, "rationalisation" of cultural service and public convenience provision (that means cuts,) "utilisation" of reserves to support specific service investment (that means robbing Peter to pay Paul,) and "rephrasing" of the capital strategy (who the hell knows what that means?)
The report says the council has already started explore the potential of a number of "themes" to cut costs and improve or sustain performance including: sharing services (didn't this fall flat on its face?) outsourcing/partnering with the private sector (this too) and controlling staff costs (presumably this means copying Lincolnshire County Council, Lincoln City Council, West Lindsey and North Kesteven's plan to freeze staff pay.
Concrete proposals include increasing the cost of an adult cremation from £417 to £430 "to support service investment," which will boost income by £14,000 a year. Critics will point out that this still further widens the cost gap between Boston and the newly opened Alford Crematorium, which charges between £360 and £390 and which is as convenient for people in the Skegness catchment area as is Boston. All it means is that you'll get your fingers burned as well as great aunt Ada if you use Boston Crem.
Other recommendations include "mothballing" the Wide Bargate toilets pending car park and "facility refurbishment" in two years' time, saving £26,000 - ironic given the fanfare surrounding the recent opening of the new, improved, Park Gate loos.
One thing that few would quibble with is "mothballing" facilities at the Haven Resources Centre "pending strategic asset review" which will save £65,000 before any redundancy and pension payments. Our vote would be to close this apology for an art gallery altogether as it's been a pathetic waste of space ever since it opened.
So, the budget is a bit like the curate's egg.
Reading through the report was - as always with Boston Borough Council documents - like wading through treacle.
But for once there were few mistakes or howlers ... just one that made us smile, as it threw the whole exercise into question ....
"Estimated BBC Resources: £1,007k. This includes team costs I think"
At this stage, it's probably safer to be sure!

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