Liverpool City Council's chief executive's office in the Cunard Building looks out onto the Mersey, and the Wirral beyond. Tourists flock to take pictures with the statue of the Beatles below the window. Between the Mersey – and the docks they fed – and the iconic band, sums up the historical highlights of the City.

The chief executive in question, Tony Reeves, has been in post for nearly two years – with a nine-month stint in post as a consultant at the authority before that. His council has just overseen a challenging budget which will take the city into 2020/21.