The end of a parliamentary term is always a strange time. Ministers seek to complete their programme of reform before they lose their position of power. This generates a real sense of fin de siècle – the ending of one era before the start of a new one.

For local government this has meant a flurry of urgent ministerial communications. In March alone this included items on self-build, surface water, private rented sector licensing, legal highs, and requests to support the 800th anniversary of the sealing of the Magna Carta and the 70th anniversary of VE Day.