F or local government, it's now or never. After a decade of austerity, councils have trimmed all the fat they have to keep the public finances on an even keel. They've also maxed out the few powers at their disposal to protect essential local services such as children's social care.

As we approach the end of the four-year financial settlement for local government and the promise of a Spending Review, local politicians and officers across the country know we are now at the limit of what councils can do without reaching breaking point.