How does British local government stack up? Every three years, Ipsos MORI does a global study looking at perceptions of public services and much else across 33 countries. Called www.ipsosglobaltrends.com – it covers 22,000 people and asks 370 different questions. What it shows is that British local government is managing well, despite a 50%-plus cut in central Government grant.

Overall, some 50% of the British expect their local council to treat them fairly. This is below Denmark, the world’s happiest developed economy, at 71%, or indeed France with its thousands of local ‘mairies’ at 60%, but even better, it is similar to figures for Germany and Sweden and well above Spain. Pity the Russians, where only 19% trust their local council to be fair.