How council staff

could help fund

Party in Park

Although Boston Eye is a bit sniffy about the Party in the Park, it appears that we are something of a lonely voice.
Last week, we reported the Labour group’s promise to resurrect the issue of the party which it suggested could appropriately be done next year – to coincide with both the Queen’s Golden Jubilee and the Olympics.
Mention of this prompted an e-mail from Darron Abbott, a Conservative candidate for Boston’s South ward in the recent elections, who was “defeated” by Councillor Alison Austin.
“I remember standing next to Paul Kenny, Jane Stewart, Paul Goodale and Sally Gall (all councillors at the time) in the Camra beer tent, I think around year four of Party in the Park, when Paul Kenny said: ‘It is a good event, but we will have to find a way of making it only every two or three years, as we cannot afford this,’” he wrote.
“But I think we can afford it, if you let me explain.
“Paul Kenny receives £10,000 of government funding via Boston Borough Council's social cohesion fund for his pet project, the Community Showcase. He could give this up and the event could, I am sure, be woven into the cohesion plan- and Boston BID were prepared to chip in £5,000 for the celebration of European culture.
“One of the major costs was for stewarding the event, the majority of which was carried out by municipal buildings staff, who were paid their usual rates for this service.
“I am not sure how events like this fit in with the Taylor report and having trained paid stewards, but I know the staff did not receive any training. I am sure we could find cheaper stewards and thus reduce the costs.
“Now for the radical bit and a way for the council officers to show they can connect with the ratepayers.
“Each member of staff and councillors receive a permit which allows them to park in the borough’s car parks free of charge. This is unfair, as everyone else who parks in the town has to pay.
“The last time I looked into this there were in excess of 200 permits issued to staff. “These staff should be encouraged to buy a season ticket at £320 per year, which would raise in excess of £64,000.
“So much given by so few for so many - now that's not a paid slogan, but I think I have heard something similar before!
“Adding these amounts up this would give us near on £80,000 - now think what we could do with that!”
But – large sum though it is – it may not be anywhere near enough according to figures from someone else campaigning for the return of the party.
English Democrat Councillor David Owens, confesses to being frustrated in his efforts to find out more about the costs which he says have spiralled from £40,868 in 2001/2 to £124,809 in 2008/9.
He tells readers of his blog that whilst the information has been drip fed, he still has no detailed breakdown of how this cost managed to escalate out of control.
”Call me a cynic but I don't buy it!” he says.
“Of course when something becomes so expensive it becomes more and more difficult to justify the spend and perhaps some interesting expenditure has found its way into the cost centre for party in the park, just to help it on its way ... OUT that is!
”Some may recall I stood alone in trying to get funds used from the £660,000 Community Cohesion money, before it was squandered away on officer salaries and charities. This was to no avail. Subsequently the event was binned, and some shifty nasty poor relation substitute offered in its place.”
If anyone else has a view on the Party in the Park – and whether such a publicly funded event is past its sell-by date, then please let us know.

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