The Insider’s eyebrows were raised by revelations contained in the latest Thames Valley Police senior officers’ expenses, which appeared to show Assistant Chief Constable Brian Langston claimed £251.15p back from the taxpayer for petrol while in the south of France last summer.

Mr Langston, who is due to retire on a full pension in May after two years in his £80,000 a year job, has been in the spotlight before for his expenses.

The Oxford Mail revealed he claimed back £2,588.55 in his first year in the job including £245 to paint his police-subsidised house, where he has resided for the past 21 years, £14.98 for a mobile phone charger and £240 for management training books.

He submitted receipts for purchases at four petrol stations in the south of France in July and August.

Police spokesman Rebecca Webber said Mr Langston had done nothing wrong as he pays a monthly amount in advance for petrol covering personal use of his police vehicle and he claimed back the money to avoid having to fork out cash twice.

The city council’s Cleaner Greener champ John Tanner, aka Great Uncle Bulgaria, has been spotted littering in Blackbird Leys.

Sharp-eyed residents spotted the litter-loathing councillor scattering a bin liner full of council press releases across the estate last month, at the launch of his Cleaner, Greener campaign.

Last week Mr Tanner rubbished claims he secretly enjoyed littering, insisting it was ‘for the benefit of the TV cameras’.

He said: “The press officers bought some rubbish in a big bag for the benefit of the TV cameras. We picked it all up and put it back in the bag.

“I think they probably got it from the press office; it all went back where it should go.”

Mr Tanner proudly added: “I also picked up some rubbish dropped by the public.”

The Insider hesitates to describe much of what is issued by the press office as rubbish.

CITY councillor Matt Morton can justifiably lay claim to being Oxford’s answer to Mr Nanny. The Green councillor for St Mary’s did his best impression of Hulk Hogan in the hit Hollywood movie after he was left holding the baby at a recent east area parliament meeting.

However, the doting dad deftly managed the dual role and was able to field questions from local constituents while at the same time skilfully bottle-feeding his eight-month-old daughter Freya.

The Insider has heard of children being groomed for office at a young age, but we have been assured that little Freya will not be challenging Henley town councillor Laura Pye’s title of being Britain’s youngest female councillor anytime soon.

Unlike her dad, little Miss Morton did not show a great deal of interest in local politics and soon fell asleep, without making a sound during the three hour meeting.

The Insider was sure he saw pangs of jealousy from local residents – some of whom look like they fancy a nap themselves during these marathon meetings.