PANTOMIME season has started early at County Hall after three weeks of what can only be described as the utterly shambolic handling of 'jobs-gate' alongside megabucks partner-in-grime behemoth Babcock.

"We weren't aware of those cuts." "Oh yes you WERE!" "Oh NO we weren't!" "Oh yes you WERE!"

Everywhere you look it's the Big Bad Wolf and Sir Hiss.

* ONE of County Hall's top brass got unwillingly dragged into the Babcock furore this week in Sander Kristel, who told bewildered politicians the council was "not aware" and absolutely "not involved" in any of this mess, ever.

Union reps, staff, nearly everyone touched by this sorry saga may find that claim utterly incredible but there's a deep irony behind the man delivering the message.

Sander, brought in 12 months ago as 'commercial and change' director to oversee the huge drive to outsource services, was last year lauded by the Huffington Post as one of the world's 'top 100' senior council bods for his Twitter use.

The work that got him that global accolade?

'Chief Information Officer', with Huff Post hacks calling their list an "incredible" collection of people who embrace team working, sharing and collaboration.

Work that one out.

* MPs across Worcestershire have been slapped with a late, belated Halloween horror show with the news that Redditch's maternity ward has closed.

It does conjure up images of babies born on the M5, at bus shelters, along roadside verges, on canals - heck if Sajid Javid and Karen Lumley really wanted to help they could and probably should re-train as midwives for the winter.

Will the first stranded mother left to pump out a little dribbler in the open air call their baby Austerity?

* WORCESTER'S Green Party chairman Louis Stephen has forked out for an electric car to play his part in saving the planet, but even eco-warriors can only take matters so far.

"My wife's got a proper car," he assures us.

* DUNG-LOVING Tory Bill Wiggin has been left fuming after running into red tape when trying to get a solar panel fitted to his Grade II Listed cowshed home in Ledbury.

Never mind 'Mooo', this MP is going 'Boooo'.