Lunatics take over asylum - official

In the not-too-distant future, when the PRSA again starts running up huge maintenance bills, which must be paid under the deal with management company Leisure Connection, someone will doubtless contact a former member of the Boston Bypass Independents, to ask them about it.
And for once, there will be no-one to blame but the BBI.
By leading his Conservative group and other opposition members in a protest walk-out at the writing off of millions of pounds of ratepayers' cash without democratic debate, Councillor Raymond Singleton-McGuire shrewdly left the BBI as the sole proprietors of this ticking time bomb of debt alone in the padded cell they have created for themseves, which used to be known as the council chamber.
The move at Monday night's council meeting left the BBI's Richard Dungworth huffing ineffectually about publicity stunts on yesterday's BBC Radio Lincolnshire breakfast show, but certainly it was the Tories and the other opposition members who joined the protest who made their point and won the day.
Things might gone better had someone from the BBI persuaded the directors of the Boston Sports Initiative - the architects of the debts - to have had the courtesy to attend and offer something by away of explanation or apology.
Instead, they had earlier chosen not to, and added insult to injury by saying they had nothing to contribute to the debate.
Councillor Singleton-McGuire's request to the council was fairly simple: "That before we agree to anything, the council explores all routes and holds the Director of BSI to task for the management of the running and finances of BSI in relation to the PRSA."
But, of course the BBI's majority on the council is such that they can steamroller through anything they like, and it was this by now standard operating procedure that led ten opposition councillors in total to leave the meeting.
Having heard that the debate was to continue outside the council chamber on BBC Radio Lincolnshire, we eagerly tuned in.
But the BBI it seems is not the only organisation to do things in its own idiosyncratic way.
Whilst the spectacularly ungifted Scott Dalton was "live" outside the West Street offices at both 7am and 8am, he must have cut a sad and lonely figure, as although he "asked" for comment from Councillor Richard Dungworth and Councillor Singleton-McGuire, the answers were clearly ones me made earlier and played into his rambling contribution.
Councillor Dungworth's offer on the walk-out was one of bemusement: "I just found it very very odd. They're got the recommendations in front of them - for them to walk out when they have gone through it all, every line through 24 meetings and then they walk out - I've no idea why they did it. It's just a political stunt, that's the only thing I can think."
Raymond Singleton-McGuire: "It's not intended to get the headlines. It's not intended as a stunt. This is purely sending a message to Boston Borough Council that we are unhappy with how they have managed this situation. I'm very much aware that going forward for Boston Borough Council we have to go from point A to point Z , but in light of what has happened, and our requests which appear to have fallen on stony ground with regard to the directors of the BSI, there are many steps which have not been taken which would to some degree have made tonight's council meeting run a lot smoother, and would have given a number of other councillors a degree of comfort."
Meanwhile, despite the fact that the borough must pick up the bill for refurbishment of the Geoff Moulder Leisure Centre before Leisure Connection takes it over, and must also pay for the ongoing maintenance of that upturned wooden colander known as the PRSA, Councillor Dungworth was adamant that at long last the public purse can be snapped shut.
"It stops from here. What's going to happen is that the PRSA will be part of the new Leisure Connections (sic) contract with the Geoff Moulder Leisure Pool and we're providing a much better controlled situation we've got a sports strategy going forward Leisure Connnections (sic) are the biggest provider of leisure provision in the whole of the county and it's a tried and tested formula and it's a way forward."
He said that when the BBI came into power they were spending £1.2 million a year on both facilities ... now it will be less than £500,000 a year and "it will go down."
But he couldn't resist banging the same old drum of blaming the previous administration, singling out Councillor Singleton McGuire and Councillors Michael Brookes, Maureen Dennis, and Richard Leggott who were all in the old guard and who "gave an open cheque to the PRSA to spend whatever they wanted."
Councillor Singleton-McGuiire repeated the point he'd made in the meeting, that previous advice was wrong, but had been taken on trust.
Are we happy with the way the BBI has handled matters?
We leave the answer to you.

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