WEYMOUTH Business Infighting District (BID) has recently been going through some acrimonious times.
Anyone at its recent annual meeting was left in no doubt that there was ‘trouble at t’mill’ with the BID’s leading violinists getting a lot of ‘oompah’ from the rank and file wind section.
Each side loudly proclaimed that it was only interested in what was best for Weymouth yet both succeeded in portraying what was worst for Weymouth, namely a clear impression of stark divisions within the business community.
Equally clear was that both sides have some good ideas but have gone about the whole process of trying to put things right in the most damaging way they possibly could.
The BID board’s record for communication with its levy members has been, how shall I put it, ‘sparse’ and members were right to berate directors about it.
But both joint chairmen have resigned and there is a feeling among other directors that they are being pilloried for trying to do their best for the business community.
Against that is many levy payers’ feeling that they have been ‘short changed’ by BID benefits they feel don’t stack up to what they have had to pay.
At the moment there appears to be a lull – at least until any threats materialise of calling an extraordinary general meeting in the New Year.
If that does happen then more directors who have put a lot of work into the BID might be ousted to be replaced by... whom?
Someone has to run the BID unless opponents are so hacked off they want the whole thing wound up.
And if levy payers do want the BID to continue, then who is going literally to step up to the Board?
One of the comments made at the annual meeting didn’t get much air time and it was this.
Dorchester was widely praised for its very successful BID, yet it had the sort of bitter start very similar to what Weymouth is experiencing.
The thrust of the comment was that there were teething problems but things got better.
Perhaps all those involved might take notice of that.
Happier ignorant
NOTHING is certain except death and taxes, said Benjamin Franklin, but government capacity to rub salt in that open taxation wound comes close to being a third certainty.
All of us are getting a natty little document through our letterboxes explaining what the tax money we have to pay is being spent on.
This is either bravery on the government’s part or rank stupidity... My vote goes for stupidity.
Bad enough that we should have money taken away from us for some less than popular purposes but far worse, for the government, to spell out what that money is being splurged on.
I now know that two percent of my tax is being thrown at overseas aid and that oh so deserving UK contribution to the EU budget.
That alone was enough to get blood pressure rising and it was stoked by another revelation that 2.1 percent of my tax money is being spent on... ‘government administration’! Not the sharpest knife in the block at the best of times.
The final bitter pill to swallow came with the news that a monumental seven percent – or roughly £1 in every £14 of my taxation money is being spent on... paying off the interest on the national debt!
Given politicians’ abject incompetence when it comes to almost any form of finance then I’d like to add a suggestion for the fourth certainty in life, namely that it will get worse before it gets better and it might not even be that good!
Don’t mess about with our traditions!
IS nothing sufficiently sacred about Christmas that it can’t be changed by some ‘progressive’ person looking to make a modern point?
I speak of the news that modern nativity plays are being ‘tweaked’ to include a few famous personas... such as Wayne Rooney!
Now the last time I looked, Rooney may be a saint to United fans but he has been guilty of some very un-saintly behaviour in the past.
However, it is the season of good will to all men, so how might a modern nativity play be rewritten to include him?
Well Bethlehem is out for a start. I suppose the star descending in the east over Old Trafford might catch on, perhaps swapping the inn for no room in the Stretford End.
And for three kings we might have worshippers in the stable adopting a 4-3-3 formation with Joseph and Mary written out in favour of Van Gaal and Giggs although Giggsie would have to be in drag.
That leaves Wayne to play baby Jesus which, with his wispy hair, shouldn’t be too much of a problem while in place of gold, frankincense and myrrh we could have a new five-year contract at £300,000+ a week and three A-boards to display sponsors names.
Yes, I think the idea is beginning to grow on me. After all, so many of the true values of Christmas have been dumped, why not this one?
That just leaves the three shepherds to sort out, unless Lineker, Shearer and Savage? While the role of God should be easy to fill. Just quietly slip Sepp Blatter a few quid and problem solved!
Personally I think the original nativity concept is the only one which matters.
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