It is a great joy to write a monthly column for The MJ, going out to a local government audience, but it does have one down side. Writing for any other sector or industry one could dial in the August column, confident that your audience will be on the beach, by the pool or otherwise absent, but local government is always on.

The range of responsibilities councils have and their centrality to civic life means that they have very limited down time. Local government is always there.