Week ending 4th February

Our Friday miscellany

of the week's

news and events

Good news – bad news ... The good news is that Boston's road widening scheme is on schedule, and should be completed by the end of April – and congratulations to Lincolnshire highways team for doing such a difficult job so well. The bad news is that we should brace ourselves for a load of BBI bragging about how they have made all this possible, despite the fact that this is not the case. Even worse, they may try to hoodwink us into believing that there is still a chance that we will get some sort of relief road – the famous “distributor” road ... though what else roads do if they don't distribute traffic eludes us. If they try this election ploy, just ignore it. If there is a chance of such a road it is so far in the future that no one reading this today will live to see it.

You'll do as we say .... Are we being consulted, or are we not? According to the latest edition of Boston Borough Council's internet bulletin we got our first look at “ the fine detail” proposed for the revamp of Boston’s historic Market Place, based on feedback from public consultation, undertaken in 2009 and “an and extensive Conservation Area Appraisal.” We seem to recall spending quite some time a couple of weeks ago completing forms and returning them to the council's tent in the Market Place. Was this just a token and really to no avail? We know that the borough seldom, if ever, heeds what the punters have to say. But to ask their opinions when you've apparently already decided the answer takes the biscuit...
Over the hill ... Talking of the bulletin, we love the advert on page seven “Want to know what's wicked?” Aside from the inherent nonsense of such a question, the purpose of the photo of a gape-jawed, pop-eyed, simian-browed woolly-hatted “yoof” is to tell us: “It's not just for the oldies, y'know.” Two pages later, a more restrained recruiting poster for would be councillors depicts a group in which fifty per-cent of the four people pictured are clearly of the older generation. Is the intention of the adverts to offend young would-be councillors ... or older ones? The answer seems to be “both.” And is the overall idea to tell us that the bulk of our present council is comprised of members who are well past their sell-by date? Doubtless lots of young faces are being lined up as the parties search for candidates.
Memorial after all-ial? ... Not that long ago we printed a lament from the late Herbert Ingram that his 200th birthday on May 27th seemed likely to go unremarked. Now though, it seems possible that an exhibition may take place after all – perhaps in Boston Stump. Watch this space ...
More grot than not ... We note that the call is out for volunteers to take part in this year's Big Boston Clean-up. As with past events, people are being asked to nominate a town “grot spot” that needs attention. A walk around town – especially one that takes in more than just the centre – shows so much litter, fouling and general other mess that we think it might be easier to ask people to nominate neat and tidy areas which could then be left alone whilst the rest of the town is attacked.
Longer lasting ... We hear that our no longer interim chief executive may well have had his contract extended until December. It was due to expire in June, so an extension would seem prudent given the likelihood of a new look council to knock into shape after May. Poor man, the job must be the nearest thing to a local government equivalent of painting the Forth Bridge!
Lines crossed ... We're entertained by the idea that Boston could possibly get a direct rail link to London. As is always the case when the town is in line for any possible benefit, it is usually as a crumb from someone else's table. In this case we could get a link if one between Skegness and King's Cross is created – and the possibility of that seems little more than a gleam in a stationmaster's eye. If ever it did happen though, we somehow doubt that a route which would include stops at stops at Spalding and Sleaford en route would make shopping trips, nights out in the West End or even commuting to the city could “much easier” as one of our local “newspapers” suggests.
Picture postcript ... Finally a reader sends us this e-mail: Dear Boston Eye, Having read your latest pieces over the last few months about the behaviour of BBI councillors, I have decided to treat myself to a “NEW” T shirt for the May Elections, please find enclosed pictures of the front and back!

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