Children's services 'declining'

Some 22 town halls saw their star ratings for children and young people's services decline in 2008, the Audit Commission found in its annual Comprehensive Performance Assessments (CPA).

Four local authorities - including Haringey, which became embroiled in the Baby P scandal in November - were given just one star, for "inadequate". The other three were Surrey, which like Haringey dropped two bands, Doncaster and Milton Keynes. Children's Minister Beverley Hughes said she was "concerned" by the four authorities' performance.

With only 13 councils showing improvements for children's services last year, it was the only area of work in which more councils declined than improved.

The number of councils achieving the full four stars also fell overall from 12 in 2007 to nine in 2008, the lowest proportion for all services. Those with four stars were Camden, Corporation of London, Gateshead, Kensington and Chelsea, Kingston upon Thames, Richmond, Tower Hamlets, Wandsworth and York.

Standards in children's services have come under the spotlight since the case of Baby P came to light last year. The toddler suffered more than 50 injuries by the time of his death in August 2007, despite numerous visits by social workers who failed to raise the alarm.

The general decline in children's services was especially marked because of improvements elsewhere in the CPA, which has been published for the last time. From April, it will be replaced by new Comprehensive Area Assessments, which will monitor public services across areas, focusing on results and future needs.

The number achieving an overall four-star rating has risen from 22 in 2002 to 62 now, including 27 who have consistently achieved top marks for four consecutive years. Some 26 councils improved by one star, and two by two stars, in 2008. However, 22 declined by one star, and five by two stars, at the same time.

Communities Secretary Hazel Blears said: "The challenge ahead is for councils and the rest of the public sector to do all they can, working together, to help their communities through the downturn, building on councils' role as community leaders. And despite overall progress, resolute work is needed to tackle areas which are not performing as well and where we are determined to see further improvements."

Audit Commission chairman Michael O'Higgins said: "CPA has been a challenge which local government has risen very well, and our retrospective report records the success of many councils that are to be congratulated. 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."