Two stories have come pinging into my Inbox about councils coming up with partnership deals.
Conservative-run Bury and Council and its neighbour Bolton, which has a minority Labour administration, have agreed to a "strategic alliance." The details have yet to be thrashed out but it is hoped that substantial savings can be obtained across a range of services by reducing duplication.
Also two Conservative Councils, Rugby and Nuneaton and Bedworth are in talks about similar arrangements which they are also hoping will cut admin costs.
I suspect that many more such deals will be on the way.