Oxford Lord Mayor Bryan Keen has launched an attack on his fellow councillors for snubbing this year's civic Remembrance service and said his year in office has been "tainted" by a lack of support from them.

This year's Remembrance service in St Giles

Mr Keen, whose term in office ends in May, claimed that some councillors are more interested in "jollies" than in participating in civic ceremonies.

The Remembrance Sunday service, which was held on November 14, is one of the most important dates in the city council calendar.

But this year only 13 of 48 city councillors turned up to the service in St Giles. Of those who did not, only two -- council leader Alex Hollingsworth and Susan Brown -- sent apologies for their absence.

A number of councillors were ill or away, while others stayed away because of their anti-war stance.

Green councillor Claire Palmer refused to attend because she objects to the conflict in Iraq, while Hinksey Park Labour councillor Bob Price said he was busy decorating his house.

Eight Labour councillors - Lord Mayor Bryan Keen, Lady Mayoress Beryl Keen, Deputy Lord Mayor Susanna Pressel, Sheriff Gill Sanders, Bill Baker, Dee Sinclair, Bill Buckingham and Maureen Christian, and five Liberal Democrat councillors - Jean Fooks, Alan Armitage, Tony Hollander, Gwynneth Royce and Paul Austin Sargent - attended the service.

No Green Party or Independent Working Class Association councillors attended in a civic capacity.

Mr Keen said: "I am just concerned. I went to a civic service in Henley recently and the whole council turned out to support their mayor. Sometimes you need the support of councillors.

"The Greens and the Independent Working Class Association don't support anything civic, but they will come to my drinks reception next month. You just wait until Christmas when they will be enjoying themselves. Councillors on both sides have got no interest in anything civic and I have had a rough ride."

Mr Keen's mayoral year has been dogged by a row over the mayor's car.

Although the council has agreed to ditch a BMW 5 Series, made by the German owners of the city's Cowley plant, in favour of an eco-friendly Toyota Prius, Mr Keen admits that he still hankers after a gas-guzzling BMW or Rover.

Earlier this year, he sparked outrage during a public meeting on the subject when he told a fellow councillor and member of the public to shut up.

He promised to apologise for the outburst, but has since told councillors he has "had second thoughts" and will now not say sorry.

Mr Keen said: "If anyone needs an apology it's me for the way I was treated at that meeting."The missing 33 and why they didn't attend: Rick Muir (Labour): "My parents were down for the weekend so I was with my family all day."

Michael Collins (Lib Dem): "I think there is scope for conscientious objection. I don't think one is obliged to wear a red poppy, there are different ways of remembering the war."

Sajjad Malik (Lib Dem): "I am not a practising religious man, I really don't go to these things."

Sabir-Hussain Mirza (Labour): "I was not very well and haven't been for the past two weeks. I think it is a very important ceremony and all councillors should have attended."

Sid Phelps (Green): "I can see why Bryan is upset and I would not want to be disrespectful to those who gave their lives in the war, but the Green Party is working for peace now."

Matthew Sellwood (Green): "I don't believe that Remembrance services as they are currently constituted are a suitable civic occasion because I think they glorify war."

Dan Paskins (Labour): "I was on my way to a meeting in my ward to do casework."

Ruth Beer (Lib Dem): "I was in my regular church, St Mary the Virgin, where we held a two-minute silence." Clark Brundin (Lib Dem): "I was out of town, but I would certainly have gone if I had been in Oxford."

John Goddard (Lib Dem): "I don't feel obliged to discuss my private life with you or Bryan Keen. I think the Lord Mayor has an obligation to attend something like that to represent the city council and the city generally."

Susan Roaf (Lib Dem): "My mother-in-law has just had an eye operation so I looked after her that day. I always go to that service."

Patrick Murray (Lib Dem): "There are a lot of civic functions in Oxford and the Lord Mayor's duty is to represent the council as a whole. There were extenuating circumstances as to why I couldn't attend."

Claire Kent (IWCA): "My daughter was there in the parade so I was there in the crowd, rather than with the council."

Stephen Tall (Lib Dem): "I have been every year before, but I was recovering from a virus so did not go this year."

Tony Gray (Labour): "I was at a wedding in Staffordshire, but did attend a service while I was up there."

Craig Simmons (Green): "The Green Party has a number of principal objections to Remembrance Sunday. We always stand with the Quakers and wear white poppies."

Elise Benjamin (Green): "I was away, but I find it slightly a too militaristic event and not very inclusive."

Lee Cole (IWCA): "I commemorate the war heroes with my family so that's the reason for not turning up and standing with a bunch of people that I don't like and who don't really like me."

Stuart Craft (IWCA): "I was working and as there are only three of us in the IWCA we can't attend everything. We have jobs and families to support." Ed Turner (Labour): "I feel very strongly about Remembrance Sunday - my father and his father served in the Army. I was refereeing a boy's football match, but we did have a minute's silence before kick-off."

Val Smith (Labour): "I had shingles and had to stay out of public places - I have never missed a civic service yet."

John Tanner (Labour): "I was celebrating my uncle's 90th birthday in Staffordshire so I was unable to attend."

Molley Florey (Labour): "I find it difficult to walk anyway, but had it been better weather I would have tried because I do hate missing it."

Jim Campbell (Lib Dem): "I have been every year for the last eight years, but I was away that weekend so I couldn't go."

Caroline Van Zyl (Lib Dem): "I have three children who I don't see particularly often and for me it was really about family time."

Bob Price (Labour): "We are decorating at the moment and we have to get it done by Christmas."

Dr Tia MacGregor (Lib Dem): "We were supposed to be going, but I had an unwell baby so could not."

Tony Brett (Lib Dem): "I'm a lay preacher and was leading worship at the United Reformed Church in Marston."

Mary-Jane Sareva (Green): "I had family commitments, but was not aware an event was taking place."

Sushila Dhall (Green): "I gave money to the Poppy Appeal, but didn't attend the Remembrance Sunday service, not because I don't believe war veterans shouldn't be recognised but because I am a pacifist, not a Christian. I was ashamed to be rebuked by the Lord Mayor."

Claire Palmer (Green): "I stayed away because I object to the fact we are at war."

Mary Clarkson (Labour): "I did send my apologies. It was my husband's 40th birthday so we went away."

David Rundle (Lib Dem): "I was not in Oxford, so couldn't get to the service. I have never been to a civic service. Many councillors have jobs and not much spare time."