The news that Carolyn Downs is heading to Brent LBC set me wondering what my pitch would be if I were applying to be the next chief executive at the Local Government Association (LGA).

Any applicant will need to consider the fact that unless something very dramatic and unforeseen were to occur, there will be a majority Conservative Government for the next five years.

This is likely to mean: further sustained cuts for local authorities and their public sector partners; more decentralisation and devolution to city regions and possibly more widely, more academies and free-schools and other changes that will impact hugely on local government.