Today's the day - make sure that you vote

We headed to the cellar to browse the Boston Eye archives yesterday, and among the dusty collection of old newspapers and boxes of broken promises, came across the Boston Standard for Wednesday 25^th  2007.

The issue carried photographs of the candidates for the May 3^rd elections.

How strange it was to see all those faces – some smiling, some sullen – and all of them oblivious to what the future held in store.

It was the BBI’s big moment – walking the walk, without having to talk the talk.

And what did they say…?

“This election is a unique chance for Boston to change from decline into growing prosperity.”

So said BBI leader Richard Austin in his bid for votes.

“I believe party politics are inappropriate for town management. Inter-party squabbling dissipates energy and distracts from the attainment of objectives.”

The words of the man destined to become the council’s deputy leader – and outgoing mayor – Peter Jordan.

“You have to live with, and cope with your councillors’ failures every day.  The duty of Boston councillors is to serve you – the people of Boston. You can easily measure their success. Have they put your interests first?”

That was Ramonde Newell speaking; the tireless BBI blogger and party mouthpiece. The old guard was by no means perfect – in fact the reason this blog was started back in February 2007 was in direct response to the patronising, dismissive, “let them eat cake” attitude that had become commonplace.

Ever since local government reorganisation in 1973, Boston had been in political limbo – the technical term is No Overall Control, which saw various uneasy coalitions, but largely allowed the Tories to hold sway.

We all remember some the disastrous things that happened back in the pre-2007 years – the DABSI stadium, which eventually became the Princess Royal Sports Area; the selling of the borough’s housing stock and subsequent spending of the £40 million proceeds; and then there’s the mystery of the £1 million loan repayable at more than 10% over half a century.

If ever the time was ripe for a sea change in the way the council was run, then 2007 was the year – or so we thought.

We gave the BBI a landslide victory with 25 seats. The Tories won five – which meant that they lost seven, Labour and the Libs Dems were completely wiped out, whilst the Independents clung on to just two of their previously held five seats.

We were all dewy-eyed with hope, and wrongly thought that the only way was up.

Now, after four years of durance vile the situation is different.

Even if no-one really believed that a bypass could be conjured out of thin air, we certainly did not anticipate the to-ing and fro-ing that ensued.

Having scorned the Conservative ideas for the recently complete road widening scheme the BBI eventually embraced them – with a resulting delay that we could all have done without.

The party was split by internal turmoil.

It fragmented politically, and early on began treating the electorate with the selfsame contempt of which previous administration had been guilty.

Four years later, the BBI’s promises for a second term are a threadbare hotchpotch which offers nothing.

The party is disliked within the local political arena. We have few if any friends among our neighbours in South Holland and East Lindsey, and we shudder what the powers that be in County Hall must think of the posturing ninnies who claim to “control” Boston.

Having said all that, the offerings from the Tories and the Lib Dems are light on both style and substance. Labour talks the talk – but as they cannot take enough seats to command a majority – a cynic might say that they can safely make promises they know that they will never be required to deliver.

That leaves the English Democrats and UKIP – both of which we expect to command votes, but not to paint the town red.

Oddly, despite its recent run in with the English Democrats, the BBI apparently remains obsessed with the party’s intentions.

In an eleventh hour leaflet distribution headed “Warning to the people….” The BBI again links the English Democrats and the BNP.

Behind the rhetoric, what it  actually tells us is - not that the BBI is concerned that voters may be duped into supporting a quasi-BNP - but that the BBI fears that the English Democrats may well replicate the BBI landslide of four years ago.

Since when did the BBI worry about anything other than itself?

Our best hope is that the people of Boston see the sense in having as many Independent candidates as possible – there are eleven of them standing.

A council run by a well balanced political grouping with a solid leavening of Independents would be the best that Boston could wish for.

It also comes with a ready-made agenda in the shape of local concerns that Independents are pledged to bring to the fore, unlike parties which seek issues on which they can grandstand.

Whatever the outcome, it is crucial that you go out and vote today. The polling stations – there are 45 of them around the borough - are open between 7am and 10pm.

No excuses now – Boston needs you and your vote.

You can write to us at boston.eye@googlemail.com Your e-mails will be treated in confidence and published anonymously if requested.