"Bring back the

old grey Mayor"

As the ruling Bypass Independent elite retreats to is bunker in these dog days of the current administration, the snipers are still out there – and they have one of the borough’s top roles in their sights.
At tonight’s final full council meeting under the present regime, a motion has been proposed to reinstate the former method by which the borough picks its Mayor.
Better Boston Group Councillor Anne Dorrian, seconded by Independent Councillor John Storry, are suggesting that from the start of the coming civic year the job of Mayor should be offered to the councillor with the longest period of service as an elected member – either continuous or accumulated.
This is the way things were before the BBI swept to power four years ago – and the decision to change it cause considerable anger and debate.
The reason was obvious.
There were enough re-elected councillors to ensure that under the existing rules there would never be a BBI mayor during the party’s four year term of office.
It was clearly not enough for the party legitimately to hijack control of the borough through the ballot box.
They also wanted the spoils of war to include the role of the town’s first citizen.
They voted to change the rules so that the Mayor was elected by the council.
And the council, of course, is the BBI – its majority is so great that it brooks no attempt at opposition.
After a token period in which councillors previously entitled to hold the post under the old system served in office, Councillor Peter Jordan – at the time the deputy leader of the BBI – was elected to fill the role – an appointment which we understand surprised no-one.
Tonight’s motion to the council also contains an additional barb – even though it seeks to close the stable door after the mare has bolted!
It proposes: “That this council promotes the running of the functions of local government above all else and to that end, this council discourages elected members from leaving a cabinet post in order to become either Mayor or Deputy Mayor.”
It also asks the council to promote the duties of elected office above those of other councils and voluntary organisations – “and to that end discourages elected members from undertaking more than one ceremonial role in any one election cycle.”
Hmmm.
The role of Mayor is one that traditionally combines dignity and diplomatic skills.
Unfortunately, the current postholder has occasionally run into conflict with some opposition councillors in a way that has upset what should be the smooth running of this ceremonial office.
And we hear that Councillor Jordan’s term in office ends tonight on a sour note after he rebuffed a number of questions posed in advance as “political,” including a particularly contentious hot potato which asked him which of the many duties he has undertaken in his year of office gave him the most enjoyment.
Usually, politicians duck a question because they fear that the answer will get them into trouble. In rejecting such an anodyne enquiry, is Councillor Jordan telling us that he has enjoyed none of his civic outings?
But back to the point.
Tonight’s motion gives the council the chance to restore the status quo to the way the Mayor is appointed.
The words most commonly used by councils throughout the land to describe the office of Mayor are “honour” and “dignity.”
But where is the honour when a party with sweeping control over a council chooses to enforce its own nominee on the people it represents, and how can the postholder demonstrate much by way of dignity in those circumstances?
However, this being Boston, and Boston being still in the terminal grip of the palsied fingers of the BBI, tonight’s motion is certain to fail – as, if nothing else, the last thing the party would do would be to backtrack on an earlier decision.
The next meeting of Boston Borough Council – which is also the first of the new council after next month’s elections – is on May 23rd and its traditional job will be the appointment of the Major.
If the BBI scrabbles back with a majority, expect no surprises.

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