Paranoia is nothing new at Oxfordshire County Council, but the authority has plunged to new depths recently. Could it have anything to do with the fact inspectors are due in some time soon?

The Insider learns posters advertising the fact the council is rated excellent have been plastered on the back of toilet doors - and in almost every other prime location to boot. You might even recall seeing a shabby piece of green tarpaulin thrown over the front of County Hall recently advertising just that. Don't worry, we're sure they'll notice.

WE don't know whether Charles Shouler is hard of hearing, but if he isn't then he does a good impression. Mr Shouler, the county council's cabinet member for finance, was spotted being shouted at by a man clutching a can of lager opposite the public conveniences in Speedwell Street on Tuesday morning. But instead of stopping and engaging in conversation, he walked on and into the sanctuary of the nearby council offices. Don't worry Charles, we would have done the same.

IT WAS good to see political differences were put aside for Remembrance Sunday and the Liberal Democrats and Conservatives' new-found era of political co-operation is working a treat. Just ask the young sea cadet who fainted during the service in St Giles. There in a flash to help out were city councillor Dr Tia MacGregor (the Lib Dem defector-turned-Tory), left, and Dr Evan Harris (the Lib Dem MP for Oxford West and Abingdon), right. We haven't inquired as to which of the parties was most responsible for administering first aid, below, but doubtless it will appear on election literature soon. Thankfully, the girl was fine.

THERE can be few thoughts more peculiar than 'Kaiser' Keith Mitchell, the leader of Oxfordshire County Council, holding court with the Army's top brass. Yet it is going to happen.

This meeting of minds is being held so Mr Mitchell can decide how to spend £100,000 of Oxfordshire taxpayers' money to improve facilities for soldiers returning to the county. There are an estimated 600 troops based in Oxfordshire currently serving overseas - and a sterling job they are doing, too. However, one prominent county councillor said: "What about the families of soldiers who don't come back - what do we do for them? In a way it rubs it in a bit."

FOR a movement that berates rival political groups for grabbing media soundbites, it would appear a trifle hypocritical for the Independent Working Class Association - Oxford City Council's second-smallest group - to moan about the credit for their work being stolen by other parties. Somewhat predictably, the IWCA blames a media biased towards their nemesis - Labour.