Positivity, pragmatism and long term thinking – the latest Tory conference has left local government with a lot to mull over, as Bob Neill describes

It's hard to remember a time when the build-up to a Prime Minister's conference speech has aroused so much speculation outside the relatively confined clique of their respective party faithful. But the weeks leading up to this year's conference season have been awash with Brexit hypotheses, leadership rumours, and from some, guessing games as to what untimely voodoo might befall Theresa May (and the backdrop of her stage) this time round.