You would be forgiven for thinking that there is nothing going on in the world this week, with the exception of the arrival of a Royal baby, and some pretty warm weather. But local government carries on providing services regardless – even gritting the roads to stop them melting.

The national celebrations of the sun and a son has put to one side the grim reality we have faced in recent months over the fear of seeing councils start to fail financially, while in the US, Detroit has announced it has fi led for bankruptcy.