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It has been an interesting exercise. There has been no shortage of topics to write about each fortnight, but saying something of interest in the prescribed space is quite a challenge.

I leave with a healthy regard for the journalist's trade, and an even healthier regard for those trying to make social housing work through policy and in practice.

Navigating the policy and technical icebergs is a perilous task and, although I have bemoaned the lack of a chart or even simply some clear-eyed lookouts, I do not pretend that dealing with political, social and financial pressures is easy.

Paradoxically, it would be better if the pressures were even more intense.

Housing is important enough to politicians to be a minefield – but not important enough to be a battlefield. Victory is always elusive.

In other words (and before the metaphor escapes my control), there is never enough political impetus to drive through the problems. And the serious risk is that the lawyer makes it all worse rather than better.

I like to pretend otherwise, but I guess it would take a real journalist to persuade readers! And so to conclude by mangling the words of a radio broadcaster many years ago – if you have been, thank you for reading.