Surely in decades to come, when local government is sitting cosily by the fire and mulling over a life well led, 2015 will be looked as the year of surprises – be they good or bad.

Yet an ongoing theme has been local government's ability to once again endure the shocks, bumps and bruises of the past 12 months and continue delivering for communities. Whether the same will be said in the future is up to chiefs and council workers.