There has been much speculation in the past week regarding the true identity of the chalk ‘horse’ at Uffington.

Could it be a dragon? Or even a dog?

The famous White Horse, pictured, carved into the hillside above the Oxfordshire village is thought to be 3,000 years old. And it may not be a horse at all, according to retired vet Olaf Swarbrick.

Mr Swarbrick, of West Sussex, said the features of the 360ft by 130ft chalk animal, made it look more like a greyhound.

But little has been made of the implications to Vale of White Horse District Council.

Should the carving be revealed to be a dog would it have to change its name?

Chief Executive David Buckle told the Insider: “Even if there were hard evidence that the Uffington white horse was in fact originally intended to be a dog or a dragon, it would be highly unlikely we’d want to change our name.

“Vale of White Dog doesn’t trip of the tongue quite as well as Vale of White Horse.”

He added: “Since the hill carving is thought to date back as far as 1000 BC, I suspect the real origins will forever remain shrouded in the mists of time.

“All art is arguably interpretational and the area has a long tradition of identifying with the horse.”

We can all breathe a sigh of relief.

City councillor Antonia Bance is well-known for her rousing speeches but her monologue on the importance of the voluntary sector at a recent meeting was particularly stirring.

As she gathered momentum, the rousing tones of a pipe organ built steadily in accompaniment.

And as Ms Bance reached her finale and took her seat, the strains of the national anthem reverberated around the room.

It was powerful stuff....which emanated from a meeting of the Masons in the Hall above.

Oxford City Council’s meeting on Monday night was less musical and more pantomime. And not a very funny one at that.

The meeting, of all councillors, included that rare thing in Town and County Halls... a public audience.

The gallery was full of residents who had come to hear a debate on the future of Temple Cowley Pools – and were made to wait more than four hours for the privilege.

The Labour-run council, remember, wants to close the pools and build a new £16.8m pool in Blackbird Leys.

Lib Dem Lord Mayor John Goddard had tried to bring the items to the top of the agenda, but was voted down by ruling Labour councillors.

In the end, one of 12 motions relating to the pool – set to be replaced in 2012 – could not be debated as councillors simply ran out of time.

So what important issues had taxed them for so long? Climate change, and how and where you can recycle lightbulbs.