Roll on the local government elections, the time when local politics and local issues come to the forefront of the news – or at least they should, if they weren't hijacked by national politicians all-too-keen to score easy political points.

At the launch of the Labour and Liberal Democrat local election campaigns this week, the focus was firmly on intensifying some now rather tired rows that have played out over national issues. This is not a new phenomenon – it is rare for local government to be the focus of a local government election campaign. But, oh how we wish for it.