Week ending 5th November

Our Friday miscellany

of the week's

news and events

Neighbour’s view on independence issue … Tuesday’s blog about the need for truly independent councillors in Boston come next May’s elections brought a dissenting voice from Councillor Gary Porter – leader of South Holland District Council, who wrote: “Having just read today's blog (as I do most mornings) I feel the need to raise my disagreement (unusually) with your comments about next May’s election. Having led the Conservative group on South Holland District Council for almost eight years I would take issue with your comments about group members being 'whipped' into line. The only time our group applies the party whip is on issues that are related to commitments we made in our local manifesto and I believe that it is right to stick to the promises we make in May and that anyone who breaks that trust should fall foul of group pressure. I know that this may not necessarily have been your recent experience in Boston, but that doesn't mean to say that that is the norm.
“Truly 'Independent' candidates should be encouraged to stand, but they should do so on an accountable basis and be honest with the electorate on what they can achieve in that role. That is the biggest advantage that party candidates have, we make promises and then deliver on them or suffer at the ballot box as a consequence. I hope that the people of Boston see the benefits that have been brought to the other districts that do have coherent political control, and contrast this with their own.”
Will flood fest hold water? … We see that the Boston 200 "event" again heads the list of news on Boston Borough council’s website, and we really hope the exhibition will be worth it. Boston’s famous historian, Pishey Thompson, devotes just a few lines of his 824 page book to the event and whilst the exhibition is apparently celebrating our flood defences, Thompson is at pains to point out that “In all probability, the sea-banks giving way saved the town of Boston from almost entire destruction” We still can’t see how much of an “event” can be mounted in the hopeless community rooms, and trust that anyone lured to visit by the publicity doesn’t leave disappointed. Incidentally, whilst there’s still time, it might be an idea to list the event on the Borough website what’s on diary.

As of this morning, it made no mention of Boston 200 whatsoever – preferring instead to concentrate on the Alford Christmas Market at the end of the month.
Not their business … It may well be that Boston  Borough Council was not being as generous as we thought when it launched yesterday’s “business breakfast” to about business rates. A reader tells us: "Business Rates" is a safe topic for the BBI. Start by giving business rates their "proper" name (the clue is in the first word) National non-domestic rates (NNDR). The valuation office is not a function of Boston Borough Council or the BBI - and the rates are not set by BBC/BBI. - Therefore: ‘Not our fault, guv.’ “The system is that the local council collects NNDR based on the Valuation Office's rateable value multiplied by the nationally set rate in the pound. The local council pays these monies to the treasury. NNDR is then re-distributed back to councils as part of the grant process - NOT amounts collected within any area.
Letters hope not … The latest piece of nonsense on the Bostonninnies blog – and there are many more than one - appears beneath the headline: “Cllr Lenton's unpublished letter to the Standard.” There then appears what purports to be a letter to the local paper continuing the rant over the independence of councillors. If even the BBI-loving Standard felt that enough was enough on this occasion, and decided not to publish the letter, why on earth did the BBI feel the need? And how do we know that this letter was ever even sent – let alone unpublished? However, Councillor Lenton had more luck in this week’s Standard – and also the Boston Target - with a mind numbing lecture on public spending which we are sure will have delighted and illuminated the readership. We do hope that Councillor Lenton is not in some sort of competition with fellow BBI Councillor and “Mouth of the Haven” Ramonde Newell, who is also writing in the Standard this week. Between them these two men could bore for England.
Not me, guv … However, they are not alone. Serial letter writer and council complainer Paul Kenny is again putting crayon to paper and has more or less the same missive in both the Standard and Target - taking great pains to establish his lack of involvement in any unpopular decisions whilst he was a borough councillor. What we can never understand is why he seldom - if ever – tells readers of his political party allegiance. Is he ashamed or something?
Poor taste … Back to the Bostoninnies’ blog. Is it by accident or design that they are again attempting to offend as we approach Remembrance Day? Back in June, we highlighted their hijacking of the memorable phrase “Lest we Forget” to promote their “achievements.” Now they’re at it again – this time with a pastiche of the famous Kitchener First World War recruiting poster “Your country needs YOU.”

Considering how many innocent young men went to their deaths after responding to the poster, we find neither the timing of the BBI send up nor the choice of spoof at all funny! Perhaps someone at the BBI would care to explain?

Whose side are they on? … Not for the first time, the Boston Target gives the lie to its slogan – “at the heart of all things local.” Boston businesses are struggling as it is, without the need for a two-page spread promoting “Louth – in the area – supporting your town.”

That's it for today. Thanks for reading Boston Eye during the week - and don't miss "The week in words" on tomorrow's blog.
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