Councillors have come clean on their radiators being padlocked after a "thermostat war" was declared in the town hall.
Temperature control knobs at the 19th century building are now encased in hard plastic to prevent people from "fiddling".
Councillor Anna Railton, cabinet member for Zero Carbon Oxford and Climate Justice, took to social media to say that someone had escalated the "thermostat war" in the town hall.
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A member of staff in the building, who wishes to stay anonymous, added: "People were fiddling with them a lot and when people fiddle they don't realise it takes more energy to heat."
Cabinet member for Planning and Healthier Communities, Louise Upton, chimed in after a planning meeting yesterday: "It's too hot.
"It would have been nice to have been able to adjust them during the course of the meeting."
While Ms Upton felt hot, councillor Ajaz Rehman, of the Lye Valley Ward, said he had previously felt cold.
He observed: "There was a cold spout.
"Previously we went into that room and people felt really cold.
"I know that when it was cold people were putting the temperature down.
"We use that room quite a bit.
"I assume the padlocks have been put there because people are turning the temperature up and down."
Ms Railton also said she thought councillors had been changing the temperatures, with Town Hall staff then needing to change them back.
"I did have a councillor admit to me 'oh yes, I used to change that during meetings'," she concluded.
There was varied attire at yesterday's planning meeting with some councillors in thick coats and scarves and others in sleeveless tops.
An Oxford City Council spokesman said: "The radiator thermostats have been locked in the Town Hall to maintain a constant comfortable temperature in the offices.
"Temperatures are regularly monitored and changes made when required."
Some councillors, such as Edward Mundy of the Holywell Ward, took a more middle-ground approach: "I have found the temperature to be quite reasonable.
"Though I know one councillor was wondering why they couldn't just fit another thermostatic valve."
Mr Mundy conceded: "It does end up looking quite funny."
Oxford Town Hall opened in 1897 and is a Victorian Grade II listed building.
It lies on St Aldate's Street in central Oxford.
The Long Room, where Ms Railton discovered the padlocked radiators, is used for varied local government business ranging from planning to cabinet meetings.
The anonymous staff member concluded: "I'm not quite sure what's going on with people."
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