FUNNY old business, politics.

We often talk about the 'business of government.'

But if those in government were actually running business, it would be a shambles.

Parliament has broken up for the summer holidays (nice work as usual if you can get it) leaving the Future Dorset plans up in the air.

Councils have been awaiting the Government's response to the proposal since it was submitted in March, however, what with a snap General Election, the chaotic outcome from the Tory point of view and the start of Brexit negotiations, no response has been forthcoming from the man at the centre of it all, communities and local government secretary, Sajid Javid.

There are a number of scenarios depending on who you listen to.

That the government isn't focussed on anything other than leaving the EU.

That the DCLG hasn't got anything on its mind other than the fallout from Grenfell Tower.

Or that, because the wheels of government obviously carry on turning for the three months, that there could still be an announcement over the summer.

Or indeed in September when MPs come back on September 5.

So that's all clearly then.

In the meantime, those councils which back the supposedly cost-saving plan have been taking steps to prepare themselves for the response, positive or not.

At a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Bournemouth councillors agreed to establish a 'joint officer structure' with Poole, sharing staff for all services between the boroughs and their combined 340,000 residents.

The move, already agreed by Borough of Poole's cabinet, now needs approval from both full councils.

Bournemouth council leader John Beesley (the driving force behind the reshaping of Dorset's councils) said the move would help the authority prepare for Future Dorset, should it be approved.

"Creating a single staffing structure serving both councils would help us achieve the savings we must make and would also lay the foundations for a new unitary council for the conurbation should the Government approve our Future Dorset proposal," he said.

"The two councils have a strong track record of working together to deliver services.

"Through an extended period of budget constraints, Bournemouth and Poole must save a further £27.8 million between 2018 and 2021. Staying as we are is not an option.

"Work is already underway to create joint services for libraries, tourism and seafront operations.

"A single corporate services team providing important back-office functions, including finance, HR, IT, legal and other support teams, for both councils will also be created by April 2018."

The council says combining staff will leave both authorities with their "sovereignty, identity and democratic processes", as well as their own budgets. A voluntary redundancy scheme is under way at both Bournemouth and Poole.

The surprising thing is that it has taken so long for the two councils to do this.

The single officer structure has worked well in Christchurch and East Dorset for a number of years.

Meanwhile the future of Christchurch could lie more with its old friends to the east.

And there's still the little matter of the postponed referendum.

While the tedious detail of local government review has passed most residents by, the consequences of the growing financial problems has not, as the stories and letters in this newspaper testify.

Last month a spokesman for the six councils backing Future Dorset called on Mr Javid to announce his decision "at the earliest possible opportunity".

Clearly he has not done so, leaving nine councils and thousands of staff in limbo land.

But we shouldn't be too surprised given the level of incompetence we have seen at national level in the past couple of years.

It's no way to run a local government reorganisation, let alone a government.