Limp apology rather than paen of praise

As we wrote yesterday's piece about the importance of district councils - or rather the lack of it these days - we were reminded of the letter in last week's local papers from the self appointed "mouth of the Haven," Councillor Major (Retired) Ramonde Newell.
Councillor Newell is one of the few members of the BBI who are given permission to speak in public.
Most of them are regarded by the BBI leadership as prisoners, held mute in their cells between meetings, before being ushered into the light of day, given their voting orders, then locked away again until the next time they're needed.
If you think we're exaggerating, just look back through reports of council and committee meetings and you will see what we mean.
Most of our so-called "representatives" seem to have no opinion on anything.
Aside from the handful who have some sort of role above that of mere councillor, they never speak at meetings, and are merely cannon fodder for the BBI leadership - doing precisely what they're told when they're told to do it.
No so Councillor Newell.
Responding to "the numerous letters" from opposition councillors, he takes the chance to tell us how his "reforming" party has already achieved much that it set out in its manifesto.
He brags of the introduction of the Into Town bus service, even though by its own admission the council recognises that only 50.3% of residents are "very," or "fairly satisfied" with local bus services, which is lower than half of comparable councils. And he ignores the growing level of opinion that abhors the use of the town's pedestrian precinct as a rat run for the service, herding pedestrians aside, filling the place with noise and fumes whilst gradually carving ruts in the paved surface of the precinct.
He claims that financial prudence and stability has been restored, and trumpets considerable reduction in staffing levels - without considering that this could be why levels of service in many areas are in decline.
"Tackling" the Princess Royal Sports Arena problems, seems to mean writing off millions in debt and then giving the place away to a third party contractor with a less than brilliant reputation in its field whilst retaining responsibility for the maintenance of a wooden construction that famously began to leak within months of its completion.
Councillor Newell's list goes on ... and on.
Refurbished toilets get a mention - but the closure of another set do not.
The council "has improved the health and well being of the population" - but Councillor Newell does not say how.
Seventy CCTV cameras have help achieved 700 arrests in a year. That works out at ten per camera, per year - one every five and a bit weeks. Surely even the most incompetent police officer could do better than that. But they are never seen on the streets, and the BBI seems to have little interest in asking that they are.
"The list of improvements are (sic) seemingly endless," chortles Councillor Newell, going on to mention that still on the agenda is the need for "Boston's distributor road" (no more guff about a by-pass then?) the Geoff Moulder pool (again being given away to the same third party firm that's running the PRSA - but only after we, the taxpayers, fork out £2 million to refurbish it.)
Still on the agenda are "issues surrounding foreign nationals." We wonder why its taken so long for the BBI to get around to dealing with this major concern. The Haven Barrage and the power station generating electricity from sewage also get a mention, even though neither has anything to do with the council.
"Smaller" issues include the major problem (no pun intended) of litter, which disgraces this town.
"I believe that it is in the interests of all, that these fact be known," Councillor Newell concludes rather pompously.
Going back to where he started, with the acknowledgement of "numerous letters" from opposition councillors, Councillor Newell is acknowledging that there are genuine reasons for concern.
When viewed item by item, his letter is less of a paean of praise to the achievements of the BBI, but rather more of a limp apology for taking so long to achieve so little.

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