Well, the election is now long past us, and we have, for the first time in a lot of people's lifetime, a coalition government.
And the first two weeks of its life have been frenetic, to say the least.
The coalition agreement is an interesting document, with clear implications for all of us working in and commissioned by local government.
The headline-grabbing freeze of council tax for at least 12 months focuses the mind to ensure councillors and staff work together to highlight where savings, no matter how unpalatable, have to be made.
This work will be even more necessary if, as expected, a reduction in government grant finds its way into the Budget on 22 June.
Given the environment we are in, it is perhaps tempting to focus solely on the financial issues we face but, in my view, that would be a disservice to the residents and communities we serve.
While there will probably be something to replace it, the additional capacity which becomes available due to the abolition of the Comprehensive Area Assessment creates an opportunity. Such a resource could be used to implement the Sustainable Communities Act, or ensure local authorities implement the power of general competence.
However, the potential major challenge is likely to be surrounding the shaping of our communities through the revised arrangements for spatial planning, and proposals to incentivise provision of new housing.
In many districts, this is a conundrum which is proving difficult to solve. The building of new housing is an emotive issue to many residents, and one in my own district that is always contentious. However, will yet another new national planning framework really make a difference before most councils have adopted their core strategies? Being an optimist, I hope so.
There are many other measures impacting on local government, for example crime, CCTV, Freedom of Information, environment and climate change, so, if implemented, the coalition agreement is of utmost importance to all in our sector for the next five years.
The Bills announced in the Queen's Speech show we have a significant role to play in delivering the Government's agenda. Yet another challenge for us to provide more services from less money, but I am confident local government will rise to that challenge.
After all, we have a good track record. We successfully implemented the community charge.
