Councils with three-star social services departments will be able to spend their grant money on any area of social services or carry it into the next year under freedoms to be introduced from 2003-4.

Councils will be entitled to "light touch" inspection, less form-filling and more choice about local partnership service agreements. All grant money will also be paid earlier.

The government plans to use the forthcoming comprehensive performance assessments to assess whether support or intervention is needed. An improvement relationship manager will be appointed to work with all councils in the poor category and some in the weak category.

Go to www.localregions.odpm.gov.uk