IT'S a mucky job being a councillor in Worcester these days - in fact some of them tell me it's often like being crapped on from a great height.

Back after the summer recess, a pretty lively cross-party debate took place at the Guildhall on Wednesday night about that old chestnut, seagulls, and how to tackle it.

Over the last couple of years we've had city politicians suggest they be shot, but it's clear the current Tory leadership aims to inject some much-needed humour into this never-ending saga.

Councillor Andy Roberts, the latest man to hold the environmental brief, turned up clutching a bag of chocolate-covered 'seagull poo' all the way from Bridport, in Dorset, specially to pass around the table as a snack.

Squawk, crunch!

* THE Source loves hearing tales of where politicians holidayed this summer, as they don't half like to get about.

Rather than follow the crowd to the usual Med hotspots, Veteran Tory Councillor Bob Banks opted for Switzerland, where he says the weather was inexplicably cool, just like Blighty, and unlike many colleagues at County Hall is now without a tan.

Better opt for Egypt next year.

* COUNCILLORS often get fed up with the amount of red tape mired in the workings of local authorities, but they aren't alone.

Neil Anderson, the county council's cultural services and community boss, who is heading up the current project to recruit more volunteers, puts it perfectly.

"It's the worst thing about local government - the bureaucracy," he wails. Someone get that man a medal.

* AFFABLE Conservative Kit Taylor turned up at a county council scrutiny meeting this week sporting a wacky, part-red part multi-coloured tie, which got chins wagging as to his appearance.

"My daughter's accused me of dressing in the dark," he told people, although I've seen far worse efforts over the years.

To celebrate terrible ties, The Source suggests at the next full county council meeting all 57 politicians get dressed in the dark first thing.

It'd certainly up the fashion stakes.

* LAST WEEK we told you how Councillor David 'my castle' Hughes was refusing to return our calls about his much-criticised attempt to see 23 homes built on his land in Clay Green Farm, Alfrick.

He might not want to talk to us, but matters reached a head on Tuesday night when UKIP Councillor Mike Soley used a full council meeting to accuse Malvern Hill's leader of putting planning officers in an "intolerable position" and asked him to resign.

It's like watching a car crash, this one.