… wrote an article in Pravda (aka Ariel, the Beeb’s in-house newspaper) proudly describing how she and the rest of John Birt’s new team had been on a TV programme-making course at Evesham. She enthused about how they’d operated studio cameras, acted as sound-recordists, directors, PAs and so on. She hadn’t realised, she wrote, how much was involved in television production.

Far from boosting morale, the general response was shock. Hitherto we’d always been led by experienced broadcasters. The discovery that board members needed a fortnight’s training in basic TV skills was appalling.

What triggered this train of thought? The Journal report that Wiltshire Councillors were indignant that they hadn’t been officially told of the Health Protection Agency’s support for moving Britain’s Centre for Emergency Preparedness and Response from Porton to Essex.

Never mind that this proposal was leaked six months ago; never mind that it was debated in the Commons and widely reported in May; never mind that our MP had publicly protested to the Health Minister. That didn’t register in Trowbridge. They hadn’t been formally told of the HPA’s decision, they argued, therefore it wasn’t a decision. You don’t know whether to laugh or throw up your hands in despair. What do our county councillors and officials expect - sympathy?

Do they not read Hansard when Wiltshire matters are debated, peruse local papers, or listen to local radio and TV? (There’s a worrying thought: do they receive BBC South or Meridian in Trowbridge?) Or are they simply being swamped by a self-created tidal wave of paperwork? If so, they’ve only themselves to blame. If they insist on running too big a county with too few people they'd better learn about keeping in touch.

The Cathedral is short of money…

… (aren’t we all?), and the Chapter is having to make cuts. One is to get rid of the Close Constables. Security duties will be assumed by other staff. Who? Are they former police officers who can deal with drunks or druggies and spot the troublemakers? Will they have Special Constable powers? Are they good in emergencies? It’s a cut too far.