AN independent watchdog has declared Worcestershire County Council the most improved local authority in the country.

The Audit Commission has compiled a table charting performance levels of all 388 councils and Worcestershire is top of the pile, according to the statistics received by the commission so far.

The news comes in the same week that the council was praised in the Audit Commission’s Corporate Assessment, part of an on-going ranking of councils that has seen Worcestershire awarded the top rate of four stars for the last three years.

Council leader Dr George Lord said: “We should all feel rightly proud of our achievement.

“Our corporate assessment score (three stars) was gained in the face of the Audit Commission making it even harder to prove how well we are run but they have recognised we are performing well and consistently above minimum requirements.

“The fact that we are also top of the table for service improvements shows that we are also delivering on the other side of the deal we make for residents and that is to turn the way we govern ourselves into improved services for residents.

“That’s what matters for councillors and officers alike.”

In recent weeks, the council has also received a favourable assessment from Ofsted following inspections of all services provided for children and young people and regained its top-rated three-star status for adult social care.