Johnson admits that government has exerted too much power over councils in the past

The balance of power between central and local government has successfully been shifted towards giving more control to councils, Alan Johnson the education secretary told delegates at the National Children and Adult’s Services Conference.

Alan Johnson said that the government has successfully “recalibrated” the relationship between the two.

He admitted that in the past central government had tried to exert too much control over local authorities.

“There’s a recognition that driving through too many targets and putting too many burdens on local government is reaching for the remote control,” he said.

Councillor James Kempton, vice chair of the Local Government Association’s Children and Young People’s Board, said that previously the Department for Education and Skills was the department which tried to have most influence over councils.

“All eyes will be on the DfES to see how they really engage in this shift of philosophy,” he said.