"Momentum for referendum

on elected

mayor is there"

We have been taken to task for suggesting that the campaign to hold a referendum on whether Boston should have an elected Mayor was in the doldrums.
English Democrat Councillor Elliott Fountain, who is spearheading the campaign - which needs 2,400 signatures to force the referendum -  says he is sending 250 letters to local businesses and organisations in support of his campaign.
“There are many things going on behind the scenes that are helping me build a strong foundation and build the network I require,” he told us. "I have opened an office on West Street and have been dealing with solicitors to open an English Democrat supporters club.
“There have been two or three big write-ups in the Boston Target in last few weeks, so I think the momentum and awareness is there.
“There is no major rush for me to collect names, so I am not trying to burn myself out because I need to pace myself for the petition, referendum and then the Mayoral election.
“I can easily collect 200 signatures a day myself, and have not yet met one person who has not signed the petition.
“The people/network I am trying to build will give me a strong base, and allow me to use many other resources. I have got over 100 organisations to deal with just with the learning communities for Boston area, who have been supportive, then I have all the retailers who are against Boston BID to see how they are going to support me.
“I have been to meet all the big gangmasters and landlords, and they are willing to help with the campaign. I have just bought a large printer and opened a printer’s just so I can produce my own leaflets and petitions quicker.
“Honestly, I could get the 2,400 signatures by the end of the month if I really wanted to, but I don’t think this would be to my advantage. I want the residential care homes, Mayflower, the police and everyone involved.
“The petition has been downloaded off www.elliottfountain.co.uk  on many occasions already, and I would expect these to get signed by the people then dropped in or posted back to me.”
Councillor Fountain also addresses the matter of offering payments to people who collect signatures, which brought comment from Boston Eye readers.
“I would expect the offer of cash to get a response from many of the people who don’t support me, and this I imagine is what has happened - any excuse to try and paint it in a negative light.
“I am truly disappointed with the Boston Standard’s article and think it is taken out of context, and very poor journalism.
“I was happy for the Standard to report one of my groups on Facebook, which has 1,250 members who all show their support. I did not know the Standard was trying to look for a very poor news scoop on there.
“The main reason I want to save Boston is because of what it has become.
"If the media and other people don’t want to support me, this is disappointing to say the least.
“The momentum is there, I promise you.”
In an email to the paper, Councillor Fountain protests that the headline “paints me in a unfair and negative light for no apparent reason.”
He adds: “The Standard should be interviewing myself and reporting on things I have said, not Facebook statuses where I would compensate and reward someone in the economic recession who has taken lots of their own time to support me and to gain over 500 signatures.
“I would not expect anyone to sacrifice their own time knocking on doors, talking to people to explain and collecting names. I had not even thought any further about what I had put on Facebook until I saw it in the Standard.”

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