English councils 'getting better'
Posted on 8 February 2008 by
The majority of councils in England are delivering a high standard of service, an independent public body has found.
The Audit Commission says that 83% of councils achieved a three- or four-star rating in its yearly Comprehensive Performance Assessment (CPA) for 2007. No councils failed to score on the scale, while the number awarded just a single star fell from five to two.
Not all councils performed well, however, with 14 dropping a star, and 13 remaining 'stuck' on two stars.
The CPA awards a maximum of four stars to councils, based on their care for children and adults, and an assessment of their housing, environment, culture, benefits and fire services.
"This is good news for most councils and taxpayers in England, with the majority of councils performing better than ever," said Audit Commission chair Michael O'Higgins.
"The 2007 results show that councils continue to rise to the challenge of delivering better services for local people at better value for money."
Not everyone agrees with the commission's assessment, however. Replies to the thread "My council is great because..." on the BBC Radio 5 Live website include praise from people such as Simon from Enfield, who writes that his council "is great because it gives me a disabled freedom pass so I can travel any where in London."
Many other comments are negative. Steve in Newcastle writes that the council charges "more and more council tax and [delivers] less and less value", while Phil on the M25 condemns his council as "a bunch of bureaucrats in non-jobs trying to justify their own existence".
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