WITH 2014 now in full-flow many of Oxfordshire’s politicos will have their eyes firmly set on this year’s elections.

Oxford’s Labour Party has announced it will be rolling out a golden oldie – former city council leader Alex Hollingsworth, who is standing against Tony Brett in Carfax.

The former city councillor would no doubt add a retro touch to the council and maybe the party is hoping to revive some of its “greatest hits”.

Unfortunately council leader Bob Price can no longer call on the services of former stalwarts Olive Gibbs and Roger Dudman. Now That’s What I Call City Councillors. So long as they’re all singing from the same hymn sheet...

OXFORDSHIRE County Council’s income generation cabinet advisory group has been considering some unusual ideas in a bid to raise money.
The group was set up to find out whether the authority could raise money to lessen the impacts of the £61m cuts it is faced with.
Sponsoring roundabouts, advertising on its website and charging filmcrews working on the county’s highways have all been discussed.
But perhaps a more novel approach is staring it straight in the face.
At this week’s meeting county council officer John Courouble brought in some of the jam tarts he had made at home which were offered to the councillors and – we have to admit – the press.
Perhaps Mr Courouble’s services could be deployed in the organising of a cake sale to raise some much-needed funds.

NOW that we’re roughly halfway through the month, let’s take some time out to see how county council leader Ian Hudspeth is doing in his bid to avoid alcohol for January.

Mr Hudspeth, who is taking part in the national Dry January campaign to raise awareness for Alcohol Concern, is – we are pleased to report – still on the wagon.
It’s been a tough month for Oxfordshire County Council with criticism from the school transport campaign about personal attacks and its plan to allow people to donate to the authority because of the cuts it has been handed by central government.

Oxford Mail: Ian Hudspeth 

Ian Hudspeth

No doubt Mr Hudspeth will also have felt the recent underperformance of his beloved Oxford United so we salute him for enduring and raise a glass – of water – to the rest of the month.
However, despite his many prodigious talents, the leader did reveal he has one flaw this week – he cannot predict the future. Mr Hudspeth admitted as much in an interview with the Mail.
When we quizzed him on when exactly Abingdon Road would be reopening this week following the dramatic flooding, he said it would depend on the rainfall, and lamented “I know my constituents have a lot of faith in my talents, but unfortunately predicting the weather is not one of them.”