Welcome to a New Year and a new cabinet. One that looks remarkably like the old cabinet. After a much-hyped reshuffle, very little has changed.

From a local government perspective, the change is as much about style as substance. The DCLG has been rebranded as the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG). While Sajid Javid always had housing in his portfolio, the new name highlights the renewed importance of the agenda. But to what end?