Dangers to the future of local government in England and Wales were highlighted by Professor Anthony King, professor of government at Essex University, in a lecture to councillors and local government officers on Friday.

Speaking at the Essex Record Office in Chelmsford, Professor King, who also holds the Essex County Council Millennium Chair, said: "There has been a very considerable contraction of local government since the 1970s, with more and more insistence that local government does things the way central government wants it to do.

"Local government has been imprisoned and disembowelled," he said.

"Apart from people in local government there has been no large body of opinion willing to stand up and be counted and willing to act for local government."

He went on to say "One of the strongest arguments in favour of local government is that central government makes mistakes frequently. The man in Whitehall does not always know best. The left hand in Whitehall does not always know what the right hand is doing. Contradictory messages are often sent to local government.

"There is a pretty powerful case for ceasing to reduce the scope and autonomy of local government in this country."

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