In one of the early local government reorganisation (LGR) webinar sessions in January there was a comment from a very insightful chief executive. She spoke about how it felt like we were being asked to sprint, when in reality, what we really need to prepare for is a marathon.

Three months later, and having sailed/sprinted/strode/stumbled (delete as appropriate) through the milestone of 21 March submission of interim plans, it feels like we are settling into the hard yards of the process. I'm not only talking about the stamina that is required for the sheer numbers of meetings, discussions, webinars (and articles in The MJ) about LGR, but the ability to stay focused on getting the best outcomes for our communities, both during and as a result of the process.