IT may be getting crisper in Blighty, but highways chief John Smith has been able to escape on a top US jolly.

The man known in some circles as 'Mr Evesham' went to, erm, Evesham in New Jersey as part of a twinning association bash where he was able to forget about buses, jams, traffic surveys, road markings, the Ketch island et al just for once.

So did The Land of Opportunity provide any new inspiration for dealing with the county's congestion hotspots?

"We were able to go around on our bikes with our shorts on, now there's a sight for you," he says.

* CONFUSED politician of the week award goes to Worcester's Alan Feeney, who certainly knows where to get the best cheap salami these days.

"Despite being a Conservative, I shop at Aldi," he proclaims.

* VETERAN Tory Anne Hingley has been around so long, endlessly poring over council agendas, it's clearly having an impact.

During a meeting to discuss a report into the abuse of vulnerable people, she said: "This report is so well researched and clear, it's like being in the kitchen with all your utensils around you."

With the endless staffing cuts at County Hall you'd think all the chefs had well and truly gone.

* ONE county MP hasn't had the best week, with Business Secretary Sajid Javid blasted as "discourteous and incompetent" by Commons speaker John Bercow for spending eight minutes answering a question on steel job losses, twice as long as the allocated time.

Can anyone spare our millionaire an Argos watch this Christmas?

* TALKING about job losses, last week the county council said the 100-odd roles due to be scrapped across adult social care in 2016 didn't really count, as most of the positions are currently being kept vacant and filled by agency staff.

Sorry, this time a salami-slicing machine is most certainly, definitely winging its way over.

* MEGA-RICH Babcock International is in hot water with the county council after signing a contract to take on 391 school support staff only to announce sudden proposals to get rid of 100 three weeks in.

This is proof anyone with the word 'commissioner' in their title needs a whip, water pistol and tape recorder during negotiations, just in case.

Send 'em a corporate custard pie.