I've had the pleasure of covering local government in Somerset for the last two-and-a-half years since the Local Democracy Reporting Service was created.

'Unprecedented' is a lazy buzzword that often gets thrown around for political capital whenever new funding is announced or a scandal breaks – but it's hard to find a better word to describe the circumstances in which we find ourselves.

In the space of six months, I've gone from shuttling up and down our beloved county for public meetings, seeing people and gathering stories face-to-face, to working predominantly from home, with all public decisions being taken virtually for the foreseeable future.

The coronavirus has transformed our political landscape in a manner not seen since the Second World War – and like that conflict, we shall be living with the repercussions, both cultural and financial, for many years to come.

But while actions at a national level to combat the virus have garnered appropriate levels of press attention, there was a danger from the outset that decisions taken by local government would be forgotten about.

A danger, in other words, that councils would use virtual meetings as a means to sweep unpopular decisions under the carpet, and make choices involving our money less responsibility, safe in the knowledge they wouldn't be scrutinised.

Not on my watch.

I'd be lying if I said there weren't aspects of in-person council meetings that I miss – the camaraderie of the press box, the noise of the debates (which cannot be muted at the touch of a button), and the way members of the public will turn up and tip you off to things going on behind the scenes.

But the switch to virtual has not robbed me of stories which have been both important and eye-catching to our readership.

Councillors' efforts to get to grips with the brave new world of technology has produced a number of moments which were memorable for the wrong reasons – whether it was a planning meeting where hackers played adult content in the background, or one councillor remarking she "didn't give a f***" during a debate on unitary authorities.

Lockdown has seen a large number of new housing developments given the go-ahead – communities which will be changed forever, all of whom have their stories to tell.

We've seen Crewkerne's long-awaited key site of 635 homes finally get the go-ahead after years of delays – and a further 150 homes approved on a "death trap" road near the town's railway station.

We've had the unceasing fight of Templecombe's residents, who have battled against multiple developers to stop their village being swamped by unwanted or unneeded housing.

And we've had the outcry in Highbridge after the district council elected to sell off a beloved "green lung" for yet more housing, despite a concerted public effort to preserve it for future generations.

Away from the daily hustle and bustle of meetings, the coronavirus crisis has afforded me the chance to look deeper at ongoing issues which have been bubbling away beneath the surface.

Construction on the much-trumpeted Chard regeneration scheme has been moving forward in spite of the virus – and I used the opportunity to arrange a tour of Boden Mill, which will be transformed from the inside out as part of the project.

Major changes are coming to Somerset's bin collections as Recycle More finally arrives – and I've been documenting everything from the revised roll-out dates to rising levels of fly-tipping and the Somerset taxpayer allegedly being ripped off by a European truck cartel.

We've had millions of pounds committed to stop the Blue Anchor pub and coast road from falling into the sea, an "out of control" Shepton Mallet pub being shut down by police, wedding venues near Langport and Bridgwater getting back into business, and fresh guidance over the ongoing menace that is giant hogweed.

We don't know how long life will be like this – and it is anybody's guess as to how long 'the new normal' would last if the coronavirus completely disappears.

One thing is certain, though: as long as decisions are being taken which affect the lives of Somerset residents, there will always be at least one person keeping an eye on how, where and why the money is being spent.

That person is me – and I wouldn't change it for the world.

By Daniel Mumby, Somerset local democracy reporter