Hearty congratulations are due to Keith Mitchell on receiving a CBE for services to local government.

He joins a long list of recipients, including cross-dressing Aussie entertainer Barry Humphries, better known as his alter ego Dame Edna Everage.

The Oxfordshire County Council leader is known for his sartorial elegance - even appearing as a musketeer on some occasions - but perhaps even he could pick up some fashion tips from Dame Edna while he is at the Palace.

Opposition, as anyone in the Conservative Party will probably tell you, is a tough old business. Just ask David Cameron.

The Witney MP and party leader was reported to have given up smoking in January last year, but party insiders claimed to have seen him puffing away recently (on conventional cigarettes it must be said).

Tut, tut Dave - it'll stunt your growth.

Talking of which, Tory Shadow Arts Minister and Wantage MP Ed Vaizey has been known to enjoy the odd fag or two - and has long been striving to kick the habit.

So it was with a wry smile he told the following tale.

"I bumped into an old friend from college at the weekend," he said.

"He was puffing away on a cigarette.

"I asked him what he was doing nowadays - and he said he was a cardiologist."

For far too long 'the council' has been blamed by Joe Public for a plethora of society's ills.

But if Mr Public was to pick up the phone and call Oxford City Council he would find they were one of the best when it comes to satisfying complaints.

Somewhat ironically perhaps, figures show that 39 per cent of those who made complaints to the Town Hall were satisfied with how their gripe was managed - putting Oxford in the Premier League for complaint-answering.

Go figure.

City councillor Antonia Bance, seemingly the only person interested in the Labour Party's deputy leadership contest, has finally decided who she wants to be second-in-command, you will be thrilled to learn.

Yes, old school leftie Jon Cruddas.

Here's her thought process: "Cruddas was obvious (Hilary) Benn has a grasp of the poverty and inequality issues that matter to me (Harriet) Harman said some interesting things during the campaign... but she's a woman.

"(Alan) Johnson's a real person with a great back story (Hazel) Blears is a firecracker and has been an impressive candidate and (Peter) Hain's an idiot."