It's only money - but it is ours!

Boston Borough Council’s spending figures over £500 always make interesting reading, as they give a clue – but nothing more – as to what the borough does with our money.
For example …
We recently read a report about a programme run by Garden Organic, a national charity for organic growing, which has been working with Boston and East Lindsey district councils to support community growing spaces - including one in Central Park.
It recruits local volunteer Master Gardeners to pass on their expertise to other locals. So far there are 17 - of which only six are listed as operating in Boston, and a new group is currently being sought.
The charity offers a two-day training session, supported by a dedicated manual and interactive website, support from the Lincolnshire volunteer co-ordinator, and “free” resources, including a badge, clothing, safe working policies, insurance, expenses, and awards.
It all sounds so mellow and green, and a perfect example of self-help at little or no cost.
Until, that is,  you look at the real cost to Boston council taxpayers.
For the period between March 1st and June 30th, the borough forked over £5,461.96 – that’s a lot of green if you’ll forgive the pun!
A far more expensive bedfellow is the also one of the borough’s favourite needy causes - the South Lincs Community and Voluntary Service, which once upon a time was the humble Boston and District Volunteer Bureau.
Last month, Boston Borough Council paid SLCVS £12,750 under a service level agreement covering July to September this year.
The organisation is by no means hard up.
Just five years ago it got by on an income of £350,000 – but last year took in nearly £800,000, and also has generous surpluses in the bank.
Perhaps a review of whether Boston really needs to chip in so much money – equivalent to an annual contribution of £50,000 a year – might lead to some savings to taxpayers.
It may be, of course, that no one thinks to query such things - because so many staff now appear to work for agencies.
July’s figures show more than £20,000 was spent on agency staff – mainly in the finance, street cleaning and refuse collection services – although one single charge of almost £5,000 was for development control “assistance” in June alone.
Although it is no doubt cheaper to hire staff than to keep them on the books, there are some areas where we think that someone with more commitment than a week or two might be better for the job.
In the way that more information might be helpful to see where some of our money goes, we wondered what a housing court desk is, and why the council paid the Ringrose Law Group £5,000 for it  for the period between April and June.
At that rate it’s a yearly cost of £20,000 – but for what, exactly?
Is there a clue in a document published by Boston Borough Council in May last year, under the snappy headline: “Having problems paying for your home? Are you threatened with repossession due to mortgage or rent arrears?”
It asks: “Did you know that FREE representation is available at Boston County Court for all rent or mortgage possession cases? The duty desk is hosted by Ringrose Law in partnership with Boston Borough Council.”
The Ringrose logo and web address also appears in the brochure, and a visit to their site refers to “Our newly established Housing Department” which offers help to clients with issues including possession and repossession.
However, we can find no mention of free representation – or of Boston Borough Council.
If this is indeed the same thing – and has to be the case – then £5,000 a quarter seems a lot to pay.
Might it not be better to see if it was cheaper to pay case-by-case,  rather than a fixed fee?
Finally, we note that Liability Orders – issued to recover money owed to the council using the court system, cost £6,642 between May and July.
Some of these orders are used to obtain unpaid council tax – but they are also used to hound further the desperate local business owners who have not paid their levy to the equally but differently desperate Boston Business Improvement District.
It would be interesting to know how many orders are put to this purpose – and also how much money in total that the orders will claw back.
Tomorrow, we’ll be looking at one particular payment where the borough clearly doesn’t bother to see if it is getting value – and finding an unexpected link between Boston and the West Country

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