S0 county council leader David Shakespeare has shown his ruthless streak with his first sacking of a cabinet member, and he did not waste anytime in wielding the axe.

The day before Bucks schools' boss Mike Appleyard got the chop, he and the council leader looked the best of buddies as they celebrated an increased Tory majority on the county council.

But the hugs counted for nothing when Appleyard was dispatched to the 'back benches'.

This council leader has shown that he is definitely the one in charge and he is not prepared to tolerate anyone who does not toe the line.

That is a shame as Appleyard was one of his most talented members on a cabinet that has yet to show it was worth changing from the committee system.

Like their counterparts at national level, the Tories seem unable to manage any type of conflict among their more able politicians.

Appleyard is no Ken Clarke but he was doing a good enough job, especially in transforming Hatters Lane School.

Shakespeare was never going to find a compromise in a power struggle between them over the future of Appleyard's role.

Lib Dem group leader on the council, Pam Crawford, cannot really understand the reason and neither do I as there is no obvious successor.

Meanwhile, Shakespeare is at the centre of another controversy if my sources are correct.

They told me he was not the official choice of County Hall for recognition in the Queen's Birthday Honours.

Apparently that 'honour' went to retiring council chairman Ken Ross, whose name was nowhere to be seen in the list.

Senior figures at County Hall said the thinking was that Ross deserved an honour this time as he was stepping down and Shakespeare had many years to go on at the council.

Many did not share Shakespeare's thrill when he found out he was on his way to the palace to pick up an OBE.

My sympathies go to those who wanted Ross to receive an honour. He has been seen as a steady hand during his chairmanship of the council and has a good sense of humour to go with it.

Free Press reporters found Ross, chairman of the council for the last seven years and a county councillor since 1980, to be a likable man who was easy to approach.

Any nomination in the future for him would definitely have the support of the local press.

Let's hope he is not forgotten after he finally goes and gets the honour he thoroughly deserves and, in the words of another Shakespeare, all's well that ends well.