JUST months after a right ding-dong in Oswestry Town Council, over who should be next year’s mayor, along comes another one.

The outgoing mayor questioned a fellow councillor’s clothing and called him a ‘West Side Story reject’, blasting him for his tattoos as well as attending council in a baseball cap, worn backwards.

Cllr Jay Moore, representing Gatacre, came under fire from Cllr Sandy Best at last Monday’s council. And she again abstained on a vote, the very thing that got her into trouble the first time.

It’s always wiser to withhold offensive comments, particularly in public. Yes, Cllr Moore does dress casually at council meetings, but having that made an issue triggered him to lodge an official complaint to Shropshire Council!

Wouldn’t it be far nicer if the bickering ceased and council members diverted their energies to things more fruitful, like the absolutely disgusting property next to Sports Direct in tiny Cross Street. It is self destructing with black slime now sliding down its facade.

The owners claim they ‘will’ improve it, but only after it’s been bought.

Come on town council, with your £3 million budget and reserves; your proven energy and your feistiness, show your mettle and tackle dereliction instead of the backbiting and insults – we’d all think far better of you!

Some things change

THERE is something strangely similar between contesting a will, removing an agricultural restriction put on a house, simply to sell it, or altering a planning clause.

It arises as Oswestry’s 10-year-old town centre Morrisons’ site is to be marketed for general retail, despite a clause limiting its premises to selling ‘mainly food’.

As contractors clear the land down Shrewsbury Road for the replacement store, Morrison’s confirm Shropshire Council has given it the green light for the removal of the restrictive clause. It seems such decisions are no longer set in stone, but fade with time.

Well done Sainsbury’s

STAYING with store gossip, accommodating manager Allister Moutrie has temporarily extended Sainsbury’s free car parking time to four hours, to make exiting it less worrying while Leg Street remains closed until July 5, for the second time in recent years!

I’m reliably informed it was dug up, along with Beatrice street, just three years ago to replace electricity cables. Now Wales and the West workmen are in, working for SP Energy, to do the very, very same.

The chaos and noise is horrendous. But at least it’s providing great fun for shopkeepers in Leg Street – watching traffic totally ignore the enormous ‘road closed’ sign, only to do an awkward three point turn at the junction with Oswald Road.

He’s off to a good start

FINALLY, the equally accommodating new Mayor of Ellesmere, Cllr Paul Goulbourne, starts on a wise note – offering to meet residents on a one-to-one basis anytime at Ellesmere Town Hall.

Now that’s the nice and non combative face of local government!