The leader of Kent CC, Paul Carter, undoubtedly had other things on his mind when he addressed our conference last Thursday on community budgets.

He was, after all, about to issue a release that day announcing that his managing director, Katherine Kerswell, was leaving Kent to 'pursue' her interests in 'new models of service delivery' which would, the statement added, 'give her the 'chance of taking a further bold step in her distinguished managerial career.'