Week ending 12th February

Our Friday miscellany of the week's news and events

Don't be backward in coming forward ... February's meeting of Lincolnshire County Council takes place later this morning. Let's hope for a full turn out from our Boston representatives, and let's also hope that they make their voices heard. They need to if Executive Councillor for Highways & Transport Councillor William Webb's report on road issues is anything to go by. He tells us that the Lincoln Transport Strategy is progressing well, as is the ongoing feasibility of a park and ride scheme for Lincoln. Then there's the good news that the East Midlands Regional Assembly Lincoln Eastern bypass has recommended priority funding for the Lincoln Eastern bypass. As if that wasn't enough for Lincoln, preliminary design work is progressing on Phase 1 of the Lincoln East West Link, and a £1.2 million scheme to restore the city's historic Bailgate is underway. Away from Lincoln - yes, there is an "away from Lincoln" aspect of the report - plans for the Grantham Southern Relief Road are ticking over nicely. And then? Oh yes, the Boston Transport Strategy - last on the list before improvements to the A1073 between Spalding and Eye."The tenders for online widening works on the A52/A16 have been returned and assessed. Contract award is reliant on resolution of the land acquisition agreement for the single outstanding plot for the scheme. Subject to land acquisition, works are now anticipated to start on site late February/early March 2010." Time to speak up, Boston. After today's meeting the next chance to rattle a cage or two will be on 22nd February at the Highways, Transport and Technology Scrutiny Committee.

Fruit and nutty ... We think that local councils have enough on their plates without getting involved in areas which are the responsibilities of others. Take reducing obesity for example. Councillor Brenda Owen, our Health Portfolio holder, tells us that the council is working with its partners to improve the range of healthy eating options in the town - including plans for a town centre "Healthy Cafe and Lifestyles Centre." Why on earth is the council getting involved in what is so obviously a commercial enterprise? The answer is perhaps because no self respecting private businessman would touch such a proposal with a bargepole - let alone a celery stick. The reason? Because it would be a money pit that would be doomed to failure within months due to lack of custom. It seems strange that having at last divested itself of the loss-leading Princess Royal Sports Arena, that the council can't seem to do without something else to waste the taxpayers' money on.

An elephant by any other colour ... Still with the PRSA, we wonder whether we will have really seen the back of this white elephant once it passes into the hands of the mysterious leading leisure company which is taking it on together with the Geoff Moulder Leisure Pool. We recall that even after the PRSA was previously "handed over" to the Boston Sports initiative, the begging bowl was thrust out time and time again - and repeatedly filled ... something which could still happen even now it has been "privatised." Time will tell, but we're not placing any bets.

"Hot" pies ... and back to obesity, we had to smile at the news that hundreds of pies were stolen when burglars broke into a butchers in Market Place. Around £400 worth of pies and cooked meats were stolen and the police want us to be on the lookout for people trying to sell the stolen food. If they eat them all, we reckon they'll be easy enough to spot - and they certainly won't be able to make a run for it! Perhaps we'll find them at the healthy cafe!

Wider still and wider ... We note that the debate is continuing into the plan to "improve" Queen Street and Sleaford road, and increasingly, the consensus seems to be that it will make no difference other than to allow more cars to sit in traffic jams than hitherto. There's still time to call off this stupid waste of £10 million pounds before the diggers move in to treat us to a year of nightmare traffic conditions.

Keep it simple ... After all the hoo-hah about what to do to Boston's Market Place, we offer the following picture as food for thought - engraved in the days when the car wasn't king. To return the area to something like this would create something that would be highly attractive to both locals and visitors alike. We've already suggested reproducing the shop signs in the style of the Market Place in its heyday along with the original colour schemes. Click on the photo below to see a larger version.

Sub Standard  (or possibly no subs Standard!) ... It's a pity that so often we have to point out slips end errors in the Boston Standard. What looked like this week's classic on page nine - placing a caption not only upside down but in reverse as well - was eclipsed by the cutting below from the what's on feature.

Perhaps the Country Gormey (Gourmet, in case you haven't worked it out,) is the sort of place that specialises in Oat Quizeen.

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