Oxford City Council launched the next phase of its successful Cleaner, Greener campaign this week in East Oxford.

But the Insider hears the authority had last-minute nerves about holding the photocall in Manzil Way Gardens, before pushing ahead as planned.

Did the council’s recent decision to allow a large portion of the park to be used as a builder’s yard create the 11th hour doubt?

We expect the council to make sure construction workers will throw rubbish in the bins... but will the cleaner, greener mantra extend to blue language...from the angry residents?

The Insider hears that new Oxford West and Abingdon MP Nicola Blackwood is settling in well to life at Westminster and relishes the challenges ahead.

The 30-year-old Conservative used her first House of Commons speech last week to champion issues facing her constituency.

But not every aspect of Parliamentary life is sitting well with the former Oxford scholar.

She admitted she hates having her photograph taken and added: “I might be in the wrong job!”

It’s back to school for Oxfordshire County Council this week. The authority has distributed a glossy leaflet boasting of its achievements in the Witney and Eynsham area – including the performance of local schools.

Each one is listed with its Ofsted rating – and a key explains the scores: 1 = Oustanding (sic).

Two schools in the area gained top marks but the council itself is facing a 4 = inadequate, for that howler.

The leaflet also lists the county’s major projects such as schools and transport improvements.

But given the bleak outlook for its capital programme, the Insider hopes the ambitions lead to an A for science and engineering and not an A for English.

OXFORD City Council’s deputy leader Ed Turner recently heaped praise on Labour’s last housing minister, John Healy, pronouncing him the best holder of the office since legendary Labour politician Nye Bevan.

Bevan is revered for establishing the NHS in the 1940s but less well known are his achievements in accelerating post-war house-building.

Given Oxford’s housing crisis, can Healy really lay claim to such a flattering comparison? Not according to one person in the room as Mr Turner spoke, who was heard to remark “bit extreme”.