OXFORDSHIRE county councillors voted to increase their allowances this week, causing no small amount of consternation.

Some might suggest the county could learn a lesson in belt-tightening from its brothers and sisters at Oxford City Council.

When a deputation from Oxford’s newest fast food purveyor Krispy Kreme arrived at the city council’s St Aldates office laden with donuts to ingratiate themselves with the local authority, before officers could even lay a hand on the glazed goodies the donut carriers were turned away by council ethics watchdogs, eager not to be seen to be accepting sweeties which could sway their judgement. D’oh!

WE are a modest bunch at the Oxford Mail, but we have our pride, so we were shocked to the core when our beloved offices were described as a “great green shed which you can see from the green belt all around Oxford”.

Those were the words used by Vale of White Horse district councillor Jerry Patterson, pictured below, to describe our Osney Mead home.

Oxford Mail:

What’s worse, he made his obviously misjudged comments during the debate on the new West Way shopping development while warning about the harm that large new developments can cause to the view.

We will have Mr Patterson know our building has won an architectural award for its design.

Or, if you don’t believe that, then it’s what’s on the inside that counts.

COUNTY councillors at their meeting on Tuesday were given a little quiz to test their electronic voting equipment.

One of the test questions was on the youngest British soldier to fight in the First World War.

The answer was 12-year-old Sidney Lewis who fought in the Battle of the Somme and survived the war.

Nice to know that meetings at County Hall can be educational as well as time-consuming.

WANTAGE Fire Station was one of many local organisations that was happy to get involved with the town’s Dickensian evening last week.

To add to the festive feel it decided to send along its mascot.

Unfortunately Drago the Dragon is more at home in Game of Thrones than A Christmas Carol, although the kids didn’t mind.

Maybe it will inspire a new fantasy version of Dickens’ classic with Ser Ebeneezer of Scrooge.

 

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