The Source... Mike's Big Weekend (From Worcester News)

The Source... Mike's Big Weekend

1:40pm Friday 10th October 2008

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SO, a memorable weekend for Worcester MP Mike Foster.

First, the Labour MP's beloved Birmingham City FC go top of the Championship after beating millionaires QPR.

And then he gets the long-awaited call from Number 10 offering him a ministerial post - reward at last for two-and-a-half years’ devotion in the whips’ office.

But the whole thing appeared to come as something of a surprise to our Mike - as late as Friday afternoon, with the reshuffle well underway, he was telling friends he had “no chance” of promotion.

By Saturday night he was preparing for life (ok - 18 months, at least) as a Government minister.

So much for the whips having their ears to the ground - but then 24 hours, as everyone knows, is a long time in politics...

THIS month’s Hard Work award goes to the city council’s licensing committee, who’ve had a bit of a rough ride of late.

Some of its members were lambasted recently for almost making an important decision using the timeless technique of, erm, tossing a coin. This after being mercilessly mocked by the nation - and TV 'funnyman' Noel Edmonds - following their crackdown on the public menace that is noisy ice cream vans. Now committee members seem to have thrown themselves into meetings with new-found devotion - but could it be they’re trying a bit too hard? TWO hours discussing precisely how tinted a Worcester taxi’s rear windows should be? SIX hours considering an application to sell pancakes in the High Street? Now that's what I call earning your allowance.

HILARITY at County Hall, where Tory cabinet members have started holding meetings in their shiny new council chamber instead of the usual committee room.

The refurbished chamber (cost to the Worcestershire taxpayer - £847,0000) is several times the size of the cosy old meeting place - meaning officers now find themselves trekking backwards and forwards across the cavernous chamber each time they present a report.

Seeing the highly-paid officials doing so much extra legwork went down well with cabinet member for health John Smith, who commented: “Just think how much money all this walking must be saving us in taxi rides!” Cue raucous laughter throughout the chamber.