Coventry City Council given maximum four stars for performance
Coventry City Council showed near-neighbours Birmingham a clean pair of heels by winning promotion to four-star status – the highest ranking – in the Audit Commission’s annual assessment of local authority performance.
Adjudged to be performing strongly, Tory-controlled Coventry’s services were rated well above minimum requirements.
Birmingham City Council, promoted to three stars a year ago, fell back to two stars.
Its performance was judged as adequate and “only at minimum requirements”.
It is the first time in the history of Audit Commission Comprehensive Performance Assessments that Coventry has joined the local government elite.
Six years ago the city council was anchored close to the bottom of the CPA league table.
Ken Taylor, the leader of Coventry City Council, said: “We’re thrilled with this official recognition of the hard work and achievements of all our employees. They deserve these four stars and I’m enormously grateful to them all for the work they do to deliver good public services to the people of Coventry.
“We know that government reports are just a snapshot of any council’s achievements, and never reflect the full story of what we do and how we work, and we know we still have a lot more to do to improve our services to people – particularly in these challenging economic times.
“But I hope that everyone involved in making improvements to all our services since we were categorised as a poor council in 2002 feels pleased to have been a part of the journey we’ve made as a council over the past seven years.
“It hasn’t always been easy but during this period politicians of all parties have been committed to making the changes needed to improve services, and thousands of council staff have been absolutely dedicated to support these changes.”
Elsewhere in the West Midlands, the CPA produced a mixed bag of results.
Stoke-on-Trent, Telford & Wrekin and Wolverhampton all lost a star.
Wolverhampton and Stoke were down from three to two stars while Telford & Wrekin saw its coveted four-star status reduced to three stars.
Staffordshire County Council rose from two stars to three.
Shropshire County Council and Worcestershire County Council remain on four stars, as does Dudley and Shropshire.
Herefordshire and Sandwell failed to move up from two stars while Warwickshire County Council remains at three stars.
The 2008 results reflected the fourth and final year of the CPA harder test formula.
The process is being replaced next year by a new system – Comprehensive Area Assessment. CAA will examine how effectively councils work with other public sector organisations.
Audit Commission Chairman Michael O’Higgins said: “As we say goodbye to the star rating system, it is heartening to see a record number of four-star councils, and 28 rising by one or more categories in this last year alone.”
