Localism Bill or centralism Bill?

The LGA has put up a brief and helpful note on the 2nd Reading in the Lords of the (in my opinion, underwhelming) Localism Bill, exposing to a degree the espoused theory behind the Bill of shifting power to local communities and the theory-in-use of providing Ministers with new powers to direct, instruct and impose. Perhaps 'twas ever thus in relation to the central/local nexus, but this evermore looks like an opportunity that might be lost amidst some muddled thinking which seeks to do one thing, i.e. localise/devolve, and might conceivably achieve quite another, i.e. centralise/direct. A lack of trust between the centre and the local characterised too much of the previous Government's behaviour towards local government, and this trait seems to have been inherited by the Coalition.
http://www.lga.gov.uk/lga/aio/18775810