It never ceases to amaze me that, despite more than 1,600 pieces of legislation to determine what councils can and cannot do, a mountain of guidance, good practice and advice, and the professional requirements of a significant proportion of council employees, there remains endless variation across the sector.

In part this is due to political choices, and in part to differential circumstances, for example around demography (eg the population skewing younger or older than average) or topography (eg liable to flooding).