In an ideal world, our councils would be highly efficient and low spending, delivering first-class services and imposing low levels of council tax.

In the real world, however, they rarely reach such dizzy heights.

In the case of Oxford City Council, we have a high cost, low performance authority.

And that is the description given to it not by critics but by the executive member in charge of the council's finances.

High costs, as he says, are not always a sign of weakness.

The city, for example, spends a huge sum allowing pensioners free bus travel. No-one could accuse the council of failure on that score - it is one of the most popular and beneficial services it provides.

But by its own admission, the council is like the proverbial curate's egg - good in parts and bad in others.

It comes uncomfortably high in various categories of spending when compared with other district councils.

One of the most telling revelations is that our council tax is the tenth highest in the country.

The question is - if other authorities can provide similar services more cheaply, why can't Oxford?

There is clearly much work to be done by the Liberal Democrats to get its administration in shape.