It is becoming clear that public sector mutuals could help councils maintain a politically-acceptable public realm without raising council tax to unacceptable levels, says Craig Dearden-Phillips.

As a senior manager or councillor in local government, you will probably have heard Whitehall politicians talking, for some time now, about groups of council staff upping sticks to form 'co-ops' which then sell services back to the council. Better, faster, nicer services, of course.