After yesterday’s news that Boston BID is now for all practical purposes operating in secret, and refusing the pass information to the members who pay for it, we decided to take a closer look at the organisation which was launched in December 2008.
Today sees the first in a two part report that looks in detail at what the BID promised – and what it has delivered.
Ironically, the BID’s slogan is “Your Town. Your Business. Your Voice. Your Opportunity” – and if the Trades Description Act applied to such meaningless waffle, there would be a case to answer.
We took a look at the company’s business plan, thinking to list the promises made so earnestly that have not been delivered – until we realised that this would take up so much space that it would take hours to read.
A few morsels will give you the general drift.
“A BID creates an organisation through which businesses have influence.”
“This is a five year plan with clear and realistic aims that will be controlled by local businesses.”
“A complaint of business is that they have little or no say in what happens around their premises or indeed within Boston.”
“Businesses know only too well what is needed but are not listened too (sic.) You need to feel consulted and involved.”
Any local business owner who pays the 1% levy on their business rates will certainly agree that they have no influence on what the BID does – and that their voices remain unheard.
The decision no longer to publish the minutes of the board meetings – which have been the only way for members to see what their “representatives” have been up to – may be correct under the rules.
But every meeting from the very first until that of February this year has previously been published – which begs the question of why they have stopped now.
Is something being hidden that the board does not wish members to know?
Visit the BID’s website and look at the “Latest News.”
All the events listed were months ago.
The BID manager used to write a monthly-ish column in the Boston Target. We can’t remember when last we saw one.
A newsletter was launched as long ago as May. Most of the content was a repeat of what members already knew – and nothing more has been issued since.
And what about the financial side of things?
The BID levy raises £125,000 a year
The business plan states “It will be the role of the BID board to obtain matched funding at least to the value of the BID levy throughout the five years of the BID.”
- with the performance indicator of winning funding of £650,000 from non levy sources over the time of the BID.
The plan also said that “Without a BID in place, additional funding will not be possible …” and that “It will be important to monitor the progress of Boston BID. Hard performance data will give you, as investors in Boston BID, evidence that we are delivering the targets in this business plan.”
If the money has been coming in - and by now … two and a half years in … there should be at least a quarter of a million pounds in that particular pot – then where is the “hard data?” If it exists, we have never heard it mentioned – but maybe the board doesn’t want us to know.
A breakdown of the company’s proposed expenditure was:
46% on security, safety and theft reduction

• 22% on management and additional fund raising
• 15% on marketing and promotion
• 4% on accommodation and communications
• 4% on street scene enhancement
• 4% on advertising, website and internet
• 2% on administration
• 2% on levy collection

And as with so many things involving Boston BID, it doesn’t add up – the total comes to 99%!
This is how it is more specifically spent.

click to enlarge image

As you can see, the bulk of the income goes on staff, including the Rangers, office and administration costs – which makes the BID one of those organisations that needs money to exist simply because if it didn’t get it, it would not exist.
That’s it for today.
Tomorrow, we’ll continue with more on how the BID spends its money – and what sort of value its members are getting out of it – and we urge Boston Borough Council which has a big stake in the BID, to take some action.

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