NORTHEAST area “forum” is a generous term to describe the meeting which took place in Headington last Wednesday.

The Insider understands just one resident turned up.

The lucky individual had seven councillors and six council officers to give them their undivided attention.

Let’s hope the next one is more popular...

OXFORD City Council’s board member for housing Scott Seamons clearly does not always agree with his colleagues in the planning office.

He told a Blackbird Leys Parish Council meeting on Tuesday: “I think planning officers care more about trees than they do about people.”

His comment came after a parish councillor raised concern about a cherry tree on the estate which will be near new parking spaces.

Mr Seamons laughed: “I’m confident the tree will be fine.”

LAST week The Insider reported on a bit of confusion as to who is doing what at Oxfordshire County Council after Labour’s spokesman for finance, Nick Hards, questioned Ian Hudspeth, pictured, instead of Lawrie Stratford.

Oxford Mail:

Ian Hudspeth

It seems the Conservative group are now having similar problems. When asked for a comment on an education statement released by Lib Dem education spokesman John Howson, the County Council cabinet member for education was confused. Melinda Tilley asked: “John Howson, what’s it got to do with him?”.

On Tuesday we reported on heroic nurse Andy Gleadle, pictured, who is to continue travelling to Sierra Leone to tackle the Ebola outbreak in the country.

Oxford Mail:

Andy Gleadle

When Mr Gleadle returned from Africa he was screened for Ebola and told he was completely healthy and could return to work as soon as he wanted. The BBC were only too happy to have Mr Gleadle visit their studios and appear on national television, but their major commercial rival, which can be viewed on channel three on most TV sets, was not so understanding.

Flying in the face of medical evidence, Mr Gleadle told us they banned him from their studios in case he infected anyone with his non-existent Ebola.