BEWARE the Ides of March ... it looks like they are earlier this year.

Apologies to Shakespeare's Julius Casear, but political shenanigans now seem to be all year round.

While Mrs May and Jeremy Corbyn declare 'infamy ... infamy - they've all got it infamy' (one of the great lines from Carry On Cleo) there are still plenty of 'Et Tu Brute' declarations to come.

While the nation awaits the international - indeed global - outcome of Brexit, closer to home there's plenty at Wallasey Town Hall to look out for in the next frenetic fortnight.

The much-awaited environment overview and scrutiny committee will be meeting on March 13 (two days before the official Roman Ides) and on March 18 there’s the extraordinary meeting.

While we are all aware that Brexit has a Plan B and C and D etc, should the council decide on terminating the controversial contract I hope there is a definite Plan B waiting in the wings to clear up the mess.

Kingdom's methods continue to attract unfavourable media coverage locally and nationally.

Caesar didn't see rebellion coming despite the soothsayers filling him in (as did his opponents).

He was unprepared - no Plan B scroll hidden in his toga.

I was told by my careers teacher back in the '70s to have an alternative master plan.

He said my chosen vocation as a lighthouse keeper was a specialised industry, urging me to have a realistic life plan.

It seems Kingdom Security appear to be a law unto themselves.

While the trade waste debacle has seen the ill-researched fixed penalty notices rescinded, the dog fouling and street litter methods are still stamped with their zero tolerance trademark.

Yet fly-tipping is not being tackled on the same zealous level.

There continue to be plenty of postings from the concerned public via social media.

One writer saw and photographed four Kingdom staffers having a midday break in Bromborough.

He wondered if their savoury pasty and sweet wrappers were deemed 'commercial waste or trade waste?'

Maybe, he mused, they could have fined each other if one accidentally dropped a clanger.

Something to chew on back in Kingdom castle before the forthcoming meetings.

But the saddest post I have read was from an office worker whose days are even drabber now that she won't dare eat her lunch in Hamilton Square gardens for fear of dropping crumbs and receiving a fine from an officer emerging out of the bushes.

There's a message here.

For the sake of common sense and decent behaviour it’s time for Kingdom to stake stock ... stop and smell the roses - especially now they are being scrutinised.

Maybe it's too late ... But plan Bs must be on the table.

This really is clean up Wirral time.

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ONE group of heroes had more than one Plan B.

The prisoners of war at Stalag Luft 111.

My dad, Gunner Grant of the 8th Army, was in a POW camp in Austria.

He told me real life Boy's Own stories of his fellow inmates some of whom I met in later life.

Dad took me to see the film The Great Escape and every Christmas I always watch it again.

He loved the film, but said he never saw an American motorbiker like Steve McQueen.

Of course we now know the character didn't exist.

This was Hollywood, but that escape really did happen.

Dramatic licence won't stop me queuing up for a special screening on March 24 at Picturehouse Fact in Liverpool for a one night only super presentation from historian Dan Snow.

Yet, now, I will watch it without the childhood innocence.

I was disheartened while researching the subject that not all POW soldiers wanted to escape.

According to author Guy Walters there were 'stayers' and 'goers' in one camp.

Sounds familiar?

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OCH here's the noos ...

I feel I must scotch any rumours that US rock band The Red Hot Chilli Peppers are coming to Wirral in May.

When I saw the Globe story I initially thought what a coup it was for the Floral Pavilion.

I quickly got wind it is, in fact, a concert by the excellent Scottish bagpipe band - The Red Hot Chilli Pipers.

A group who have their own loyal following and are well worth catching.

Personally, I wouldn't want to come across the real Red Hot Chilli Peppers again.

I was invited to interview them in 1988 and warned they liked to play the fame game.

I was put up in a London hotel where there was an evening drinks reception.

The band had clearly been partying so hard all day that not one of them could string a sentence together.

I eventually did the chat over the phone a week later when the reception wasn't so hot, more chilli.

My last memory was receiving a copy of their Abbey Road EP.

The cover featured the four band members walking across the famous zebra crossing in the nude bar some carefully-placed socks.

Happily they never branched out into Sgt Chilli Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.

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And finally ...

He hates the nickname ‘failing’ but transport secretary Chris Grayling seems to be the man who has the Midas touch in reverse.

There's a tough decision for cabinet colleagues - should they send him a forthcoming birthday card or a 'good luck in your new job' message.

By the way, Chris was born on April 1.

Peter Grant