Begging for an answer

HENLEY’S Deputy Mayor is not one to miss an opportunity — or easily put off.

Will Hamilton took the opportunity to hijack a tweet by John Cotton, leader of South Oxfordshire District Council, about Wallingford cemetery which featured some before and after photographs of recent repairs to footpaths.

Councillor Hamilton asked if the council provided a grant to help pay for the work, adding: “We have a similar path prob in Henley/Bix.”

He was referring to Fair Mile cemetery in Henley, where the maintenance has been an issue recently.

Councillor Cotton replied, saying the Wallingford cemetery was the responsibility of his council so no grant was involved.

Undeterred, Cllr Hamilton asked: “Next question. May we kindly have a contribution to the Henley/Bix cemetery path? Three estimates are in at 7k...?”

Cllr Cotton was having none of it. “Not sure that we’ve yet reached grant requests via Twitter,” he replied. “Regardless, sounds like a good use of your healthy reserves.”

Cllr Hamilton, who is chairman of Henley Town Council’s finance strategy and management committee, responded: “Time you made a first and put your quill pen to use. We still accept cheques.”

There was no reply from his fellow Conservative.