THE Town Hall has scrapped a policy of opening councillors’ post after an outcry from the Lib Dems – or has it?

The Insider has heard that a letter bound for councillor Gwynneth Royce was opened last Thursday, three days after council leader Bob Price promised the practice would stop.

The council has blamed the incident on a “simple mistake”, but Ms Royce’s colleagues believe it happened because the sender didn’t put “councillor” in front of her name.

Surely the names of 48 councillors aren’t too hard to keep track of in the post room?

FORMER Lord Mayor Elise Benjamin has been lined up as a Green Party secret weapon ahead of the European elections next year.

The city councillor will be the party’s voice on the subject of business, innovation and skills.

But East Oxford residents will surely be worrying about the time their elected representative will have to devote to the Iffley Fields ward, and who will champion their causes in the council chamber.

Unless of course the Green Party isn’t planning on sending its spokesmen out on tour ahead of next May’s poll?

THAMES Valley Police is resorting to desperate measures to get students to sign up to community alerts.

Superintendent Christian Bunt has been overheard admitting his officers have been lavishing pens on students at freshers’ fair events to get them involved.

The only thing is, The Insider has heard the pens aren’t very good.

SPORTY city councillor Mark Lygo, the executive member for games and playing (parks and sports) is throwing caution to the wind when it comes to this Sunday’s half marathon.

Mr Lygo admitted to his not inconsiderable Twitter following that his preparations have been lax of late.

Tweeting on Tuesday, he said: “Off for a 3mile run, first run for two weeks. @oxfordhalf next Sunday.”

One assumes all the runners who have spent the past two weeks in training for the gruelling race will take this with a pinch of salt.