Week ending 10th September

Our Friday miscellany

of the week's

news and events

Coach these drivers ... Congratulations to Boston councillor Raymond Singleton-McGuire on his campaign for better driving by Brylaine’s Into Town  bus drivers. Boston Eye has long pointed out the occasionally reckless habits in Strait Bargate, which some Brylaine drivers seem to consider their personal fiefdom where pedestrians are peasants who get in the way. We have warned in the past that there will be a serious accident sooner rather than later, and fervently hope that Councilor Singleton-McGuire’s timely intervention will make that threat recede.

On Target ... We’re grateful to the Boston Target for following our lead on the issue of secrecy within Boston Borough Council and using the Freedom of Information Act to find out how many matters are discussed behind closed doors. The answer shows a jaw-dropping 350% increase - from nine occasions in 2008/9 to thirty-one in 2009/10. The excuse offered for this is that the items discussed in secret concerned merging services, market testing and management structure, and that because some of them were discussed in more than one forum the number isn’t really as big as it appears. As excuses go, we would apply the word “flimsy” to this one. We remain convinced that many councillors like to discuss things in secret because they think that we, the punters, aren’t bright enough to be told what’s going on, and because it increases their sense of self-importance which in many cases is over-inflated already.
Nobody loves us ... We reckon the loneliest job in Boston at present must be staffing the new "Community Room." Every time we pass by the place is empty apart from the staff. Perhaps something more inviting than a load of posters about how to stop smoking might lure in a few visitors. Meanwhile we note that the “Community Hub” has been renamed “Room 52” - presumably to pull in more punters. Who dreams up this stuff?
Cor no graphic ... Which reminds us. When the pointless community rooms were mooted - as part of a £53,000 government grant to brighten up run-down shopping centres - the sum of £12,000 was allocated to provide graphics to decorate and therefore obscure the windows of dozens of empty shop at a cost of £12,000. Since then, we have acquired even more empty shops - but of the window art there is still no sign. So where’s the money?
Losing out again ...We hear that the East Midlands Development Agency plans budget cuts of £28 million in the next year - the last before it is closed down in 2012. A total of £10.4m will be taken from economic development budgets allocated to local authorities in the region, another £1m on attracting foreign firms to the East Midlands, and £138,000 earmarked for East Midlands tourism to promote the region to visitors and help the tourism industry with skills development. It seems to us that the place should be closed down forthwith rather than being allowed to continue wasting what money is left to little or no effect.
Get out of jail free ... We note that yet another prisoner is on the run from the so-called North Sea “Prison” Camp. This is the second in a month. We think that, preferably, security at the place should be improved - failing that a change of name to the North Sea Holiday Camp should be considered.
Do they really mean that? ... Quirky invitation of the week appears in the Boston Target, with a story that begins: “People with medical conditions and mobility issues in Boston are being urged to join their local vitality class before it closes for good.” What on earth would be the point of that, we wonder?
What a shower ... A brief downpour yesterday afternoon and a trip into town show yet again that the drains are too blocked to handle it. The picture below was captured in Pump Square - which may soon be in need of such a device.

Every time we spot a scene like this we will photograph and publish it in the hope that eventually, someone will resume responsibility for keeping the town’s drains and sewers flowing efficiently.
There are now enough areas prone to mini floods like this that in the event of some prolonged rainfall areas of Boston including Strait Bargate and the Pescod Centre could find themselves under several inches of water.

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