While Eric Pickles remains at the helm of the DCLG, there are a lot of new faces among his ministerial team. However, as veteran politician Tony Benn says: 'It's not about personalities. It's about issues.'

At present, the indication is that a big new controversy for the department will be the green belt. Despite all the hysteria we have already had about the streamlining of planning rules, the green belt has remained protected.