The shift towards greater autonomy and control of budgets for local government is becalmed. At least one of today's Working Lunch guests feels that it never really got started in the first place. It seems that for the time being Westminster and Whitehall are too busy dealing with - or not dealing with according to your point of view - a little "local" excitement all their own to think about side-issues like the prosperity, health, education and security of citizens. We Brits suffer from an oppressive centralised bureaucracy. We are micro-managed and over regulated from the centre and we are far behind many of our developed-world friends in the decentralisation of power.  Will the devolution thing ever get going again and if so how long will it take before it does? The public seem to have decided to be patient. Can this continue? Todays guests tell us that the last general election, intended by Mrs May to be all about Brexit, turned out to be all about health, social care, education and policing. Is this a sign of things to come? What will happen and when?

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