Chaotic civil servant Katherine is relocated to Northampton as part of the government cuts where she encounters a motley crew of workmates. When Jeffries, an experienced Whitehall HR manager, also arrives wanting to know about preparations for an important presentation to the minister next week, Katherine has to help Danny cover up the fact that his department has done no work for two years.
Jeffries reveals the real reason she's in Northampton: to streamline the department. Katherine, meanwhile, is preoccupied by the anniversary of a traumatic event from her past. She makes a spectacle of herself at her welcome drinks, upsetting practically everyone. Not least Anthony, to whom she reveals a dark secret about their shared history. Hungover the next day, Katherine and Danny concoct a cunning plan to delay the presentation to the minister.
The minister's aide, Martine, arrives from London to pile the pressure on the Northampton team. Katherine has to juggle protecting Danny from himself with actually getting some work done. Meanwhile a secret link between Martine and Jeffries is revealed, while Martine takes a shine to Anthony and Jenny receives some bad news. Danny manages to pull the department back from the brink, drawing inspiration from the most unusual of places.
A mysterious tension between Jenny and Nathanial comes to a head as the rest of the team prepare to head to London for the big presentation. But it's not a smooth journey, with Danny AWOL, Martine and Jeffries at each other's throats, Anthony and Katherine struggling to keep their relationship professional. Not to mention a broken-down train...
It's the day of the big presentation in London. Back in Northampton, Nathanial attempts to help a disillusioned Jenny come to terms with her recent bad news. Danny is still missing and Angela's response is somewhat unconventional. Meanwhile Jeffries has her own issues to deal with, leaving Anthony and a stage-fright-stricken Katherine alone to present to the minister, as events take a rather unexpected turn.
A week on from the presentation and the department is still awaiting news on its fate. Fearing the worst, Katherine strongly considers her future as a visitor shows up for her in Northampton, turning her world upside down. Danny finally returns to the office, where he and Angela share some home truths. And as news finally comes from the minister, all is not as it seems, leaving Katherine with some very difficult life decisions to make that won't just impact on her future, but the rest of her workmates' too...
