The head of NHS England, Simon Stevens, is a smooth operator, Blairite in his demeanour and without question an adroit politician who just happens to be unelected, but is political to his fingertips. But even he struggled to placate his audience at the Local Government Association (LGA) conference whose councillors are getting very steamed up about what they see as NHS high-handedness.

There are two recent burning issues. One is the Government’s plan to withdraw extra funding from councils perceived to be dragging their feet on reducing delayed discharges. The second is irritation at the NHS’s big idea, the 44 sustainability and transformation partnerships.