The honour specifically recognises Aldridge’s services to young people. He set up The Aldridge Foundation to tackle educational underachievement and social exclusion among the young after retiring from Capita in 2006.

Scotland's auditor general Bob Black was also recognised in the New Years Honours list, receiving a CBE. Black, who was given honorary CIPFA membership in 1997, has been in charge of scrutinising Scotland’s public spending since 2000. He announced in October that he plans to retire this year.

CIPFA member Donald McGougan, the former director of finance at City of Edinburgh Council, received an OBE for services to local government.

Among the other public servants honoured was Jeremy Heywood, who received a knighthood. Heywood formally replaced Sir Gus O’Donnell as Cabinet Secretary this week.

James Bowler, the principal private secretary to the prime minister, and Andrew Hudson, the director general for public services at the Treasury, were among senior civil servants made Companions of the Order of the Bath.

The award was also made to: Catriona Laing, international director of the justice policy group at the Ministry of Justice; Carol Moore, former director of justice policy at the Northern Ireland Executive; Richard Murray, director of financial planning and allocations at the Department of Health; and, Rachel Sandby-Thomas, solicitor and director general for legal, people and communications at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.

Among the local government figures to be recognised was Moira Gibb, the former chief executive of the London Borough of Camden. Gibb, who is also chair of the Social Work Reform Board, has been made a dame for services to local government and social work.

Marion Davis, director of the children, young people and families directorate at Warwickshire County Council, and Mark James, chief executive of Carmarthenshire County Council, were both made CBEs.

There was also a CBE for Andrew Marles, the former chief fire officer for the South Wales Fire and Rescue Service.

And the chair of the National Association of Local Councils, Michael Chater, was made an OBE for services to local government.

Describing himself as ‘absolutely thrilled’ to receive the honour, Chater said: ‘This has been bestowed in recognition of local councils at this historic moment – the moment when the role of first-tier local government has been advanced with extended powers as a result of the Royal Assent being given to the Localism Bill.’

Eileen Munro, the professor of social policy at the London School of Economics who carried out last year’s official review of England’s child protection system, received a CBE, while the chair of the Association of Police Authorities, Mark Burns-Williamson, was given an OBE.

In the health sector, the chief executive of the Northern Ireland Hospice, Professor Judith Hill, was made a dame for services to people receiving palliative care in Northern Ireland. Julie Moore, chief executive of the University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, received the same honour for services to health care.