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| English council standards on rise | English council standards on rise |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| The number of councils in England classed as top performers has risen, but weak local authorities are falling behind, the Audit Commission has said. | The number of councils in England classed as top performers has risen, but weak local authorities are falling behind, the Audit Commission has said. |
| In all, 79% of councils achieved the top three-star and four-star grades in the commission's annual assessment - a 9% improvement from last year. | In all, 79% of councils achieved the top three-star and four-star grades in the commission's annual assessment - a 9% improvement from last year. |
| But the watchdog said it feared the gap was growing between the best and worst. | But the watchdog said it feared the gap was growing between the best and worst. |
| Council services such as social care, housing and waste disposal are examined by the commission for the ratings. | Council services such as social care, housing and waste disposal are examined by the commission for the ratings. |
| They showed that one area in which England's councils have made big improvements is in recycling household waste. | They showed that one area in which England's councils have made big improvements is in recycling household waste. |
| None of the English local authorities performed below minimum environmental requirements last year, the Audit Commission said. | None of the English local authorities performed below minimum environmental requirements last year, the Audit Commission said. |
| FIVE WORST Lambeth, LondonRutlandSandwell, W MidsStoke-on-TrentBristol Source: Audit Commission | |
| And some 84% of councils were judged to be in the top two categories for environment services, compared to only 52% in 2005. | And some 84% of councils were judged to be in the top two categories for environment services, compared to only 52% in 2005. |
| The report warns: "Better performing councils continue to improve to a greater degree than those in lower categories. | The report warns: "Better performing councils continue to improve to a greater degree than those in lower categories. |
| "Lower performing councils will need to accelerate the pace of improvement to prevent the gap between high and low performance widening further over time." | "Lower performing councils will need to accelerate the pace of improvement to prevent the gap between high and low performance widening further over time." |
| The warning of a possibly widening gap between the best and worst council performers came as the commission published results from its latest Comprehensive Performance Assessment, which uses a star rating system. | The warning of a possibly widening gap between the best and worst council performers came as the commission published results from its latest Comprehensive Performance Assessment, which uses a star rating system. |
| For the first time since the ratings were introduced in 2002, none of the 149 councils in England received zero stars, although five were left languishing on just one star. | For the first time since the ratings were introduced in 2002, none of the 149 councils in England received zero stars, although five were left languishing on just one star. |
| THE BEST WestminsterShropshireKent | THE BEST WestminsterShropshireKent |
| Those authorities were Lambeth in South London, Rutland, Sandwell in the west Midlands, Stoke-on-Trent and Bristol. The overall improvements were welcomed by local government minister Phil Woolas who urged councils not to take their "foot off the gas". | Those authorities were Lambeth in South London, Rutland, Sandwell in the west Midlands, Stoke-on-Trent and Bristol. The overall improvements were welcomed by local government minister Phil Woolas who urged councils not to take their "foot off the gas". |
| Steve Robinson, chief executive of Stoke-on-Trent council said his authority's housing benefit service had improved greatly. | Steve Robinson, chief executive of Stoke-on-Trent council said his authority's housing benefit service had improved greatly. |
| But he added: "There is one particular service that is failing and that is the service that we give to children and young people. I am confident that in the next three years we will see a significant improvement." | But he added: "There is one particular service that is failing and that is the service that we give to children and young people. I am confident that in the next three years we will see a significant improvement." |
| North East Lincolnshire, which received zero stars in 2005, had risen to two stars this time. | North East Lincolnshire, which received zero stars in 2005, had risen to two stars this time. |