Worst councils to lose more ground

The gap between the best and worst performing councils looks set to widen, results from the revised comprehensive performance assessment show.

Overall, 68 per cent of councils achieved three or four stars and 70 per cent were deemed to be improving strongly or well, the top two progress judgements. Seven per cent of councils scored one or zero stars.

But although all four-star and most three-star councils were improving strongly or well, most one-star councils were in the bottom two categories for progress judgements, improving adequately or not improving adequately.

The only zero-star council, North East Lincolnshire, was deemed to be not improving adequately.

The CPA was revised this year to take account of the split between adults’ and children’s services and to place greater emphasis on user involvement.