DUDLEY Council’s outgoing director of children’s services has been awarded a CBE in the 2009 New Year’s Honours list.

John Freeman, who has been Dudley’s education boss for seven years, has received the honour for services to local government.

Mr Freeman (pictured) joined Dudley as director of education and lifelong learning in 2001 - initially on a short-term secondment, as part of the recovery programme following the failed Ofsted inspection of the local education authority in 2000.

After 15 months the authority’s performance had improved to ‘satisfactory’ - and after two years it was ranked ‘good’ by Ofsted; a rating it has maintained ever since.

Mr Freeman later became director of the newly-formed children’s services directorate in 2005, and was responsible for the integration of children’s social care and setting-up the Children’s Trust.

He was also one of the driving forces in setting up the new single leadership organisation for children’s services, the Association of Directors of Children's Services - ADCS, which was launched in February 2007; with Mr Freeman and John Coughlan installed as inaugural joint presidents.

Mr Freeman said: “This award is an honour and I am of course delighted to receive it. But I could not have achieved what I have without the extensive support of very many colleagues in Dudley and across the country; I hope they will share in my pride.

“I am grateful to Dudley Council for their support throughout, in particular my cabinet member Councillor Liz Walker who I have worked so closely with over the past few years. I am also deeply grateful that the council enabled me to give the necessary time to the new association.”

Councillor Liz Walker, Dudley’s cabinet member for children’s services at Dudley Council, said: “I am thrilled John has been recognised for his achievements both in Dudley and nationwide. With support from his colleagues he has worked relentlessly to improve the quality of life and to give positive outcomes for children in the borough.”

Mr Freeman, who worked in local government in Birmingham and Somerset, is leaving Dudley in the New Year to join the Local Government Association, leading the Raising Expectations Action Programme for the 2010 transfer of £7b to local authorities from the Learning and Skills Council.