Southwark named one of Englands most improved councils

The south London council was rated “good” when the Audit Commission updated its comprehensive performance assessment score yesterday.

In December 2002, inspectors said it was “weak” – two categories lower than its revised rating. “Good” is the second highest rating, out of five.

The commission attributed the higher score to efforts to encourage construction of 548 affordable homes, mainly by associations, and to improve 1660 council homes.

Frances Done, managing director of local government, housing and criminal justice at the Audit Commission, said: “Streets are cleaner, processing of housing benefits claims is quicker and regeneration schemes have a better balance between physical, social and economic regeneration.”

But the commission also said the council must do more work on a plan and an investment strategy to meet the decent homes standard.

Southwark owns 44,000 homes and currently needs an extra £240m if it is to meet the standard by 2010.

Other councils whose revised CPA scores were published this week include: Bury, rated fair; Durham, excellent; North Lincolnshire, excellent; Warwickshire, good; Worcestershire, good.