A week on from Election Day, the world does not look at all as predicted. For months we have been told that Labour and the Conservatives were neck-and-neck in the polls and the last weeks of the election campaign were dominated by anticipation of a hung Parliament.

National newspapers ran hysterical headlines warning of the ‘chaos’ and ‘paralysis’ that would attend weeks of coalition negotiations.

At the Local Government Information Unit (LGiU), we were never worried about this paralysis because we know that most of the things that really matter to people – how our elderly relatives will be cared for, will our children get a decent education, will our neighbourhoods be safe and clean – all these things are delivered by local government and all of them will keep happening whatever power games go on in the Palace of Westminster.