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Cabinet Office minister, Liam Byrne, has reiterated the Government's intention to ‘slim down' Whitehall and empower frontline service-providers, including local authorities, in the next stage of public sector reforms.

Mr Byrne said the Government must focus on staff delivering the services residents needed ‘rather than focus on what the centre dictates'. ‘Success comes not from accumulating, or hoarding, or concentrating power in the hands of politicians or civil servants. It comes from giving it away to people,' he said.

A Whitehall source said Mr Byrne's comments reflected a widespread belief among ministers ‘not just that a devolution of powers and responsibilities away from Whitehall is key to improved services, but that the empowerment of frontline service-providers should work the other way, with localities influencing how Whitehall plans future services.