Jobs are going.  More services will be cut…councils are facing some of our biggest challenges yet…

Yes, it's budget setting time again and up and down the country our local media is reflecting the gloomy outlook emerging from town halls.

It's a tale that's been well told over the past few years. In fact, we've got so good at telling it as we meet the budget challenges, but we continue – in the main - to keep the show on the road for the vast majority of our residents.