‘Happy 50th birthday, district councils …. the party's over'. Maybe half-expected but definitely not said by local government minister Jim McMahon when he addressed the recent District Councils' Network 50th birthday celebrations in London, at which some of the fantastic work of district councils was showcased.

In recent months, conversations have been dominated by speculation about the long-expected and further delayed English Devolution White Paper. This may now be a Christmas present alongside the provisional financial settlement and potentially the revised National Planning Policy Framework. Rumour has it the latter won't be ready until the New Year.