Leeds City Council chief executive Tom Riordan has a very straightforward view of what needs to happen in local government.

As an increasing number of councils teeter on the edge of sustainability, he told The MJ: ‘The next government, whoever wins, has a choice as to whether they allow us to continue on the path we are on, with an increasing number of councils going into section 114 territory, or to realign our budgets to suit the job we have been asked to do.'