Last week, the House of Lords considered a private member's Bill requiring councils to designate streets in their area as a high street and publish a ‘high street improvement plan'. We supported this on the basis that even something representing a drop in the ocean is usually better than doing nothing.

However, I have much sympathy with the view of the Local Government Association who characterised this Bill as a ‘distraction from what councils really need to protect and enhance the future of their high streets'.