There will be ‘consequences' for the 10 local authorities which decided against accepting the Government's offer of a four-year settlement. That's what communities secretary Sajid Javid told the House of Commons last month, but how those consequences will manifest is, as yet, unknown.

Local government has long called for more certainty in setting budgets, hence the huge 97% take-up of the ‘historic' multi-year deal in December. For the other 3%, however, the certainty was apparently not worth it.