Such is the strength of feeling over the much-publicised closure of public toilets by Oxford City Council that hardy souls who came to speak and watch events at Monday’s city council meeting brought along their own lavatory seats to wave at their elected representatives.

No, really.

For a lot of them it was the first time they had been to a council meeting.

Presumably, the loo seats were so they had something to go on as they followed proceedings.

Things haven’t started too brightly at the Oxford Union this term, our man with the port tells The Insider.

Last week the famous debating society had to issue a grovelling apology after an eagerly-anticipated appearance by Conservative blogger Iain Dale, pictured, was cancelled at the 11th hour.

And if that wasn’t enough, just two days later Johnny Vaughan pulled put.

An email dispatched to members said: “We would like to sincerely apologise on behalf of the society and those who organised the Ian Dale (sic) speaker meeting which was meant to have taken place tonight, for its cancellation. This was due to a severe miscommunication between the organisers and Mr Dale. We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience caused.”

What is going to happen to Macclesfield House, Oxfordshire County Council’s prime slice of real estate in New Road, Oxford?

The Insider has been told there were 32 inquiries from prospective buyers after the drab former education department building went on the market last year.

Apparently, a preferred purchaser has been appointed but because contracts have not yet been signed their identity and the price bid — not to mention what they want to do with the land — remains a secret.

Trendy flats? A swish restaurant? Watch this space.

Anyone logging on to Oxford City Council’s website will have noticed the authority has decided to give itself a digital facelift. While there might not be any Conservative councillors inside Town Hall, the council’s IT boffins have ditched some rather dour and colourless web pages and revamped them all with a bolt of electric blue.

The council could not tell The Insider how much the relaunch cost as we went to press yesterday, however the pages do appear less cluttered than they used to be.

And at least it works, which is more than can be said for the county council website yesterday. It professed to be having trouble with its server and was down just as I was logging on to have a peek at some upcoming council agendas. Decidedly inconvenient.