Poor children's services drag down council ratings

Results from the Audit Commission's final Comprehensive Performance Assessments (CPAs) published today, show that children and young people's services were the least improved of all council services.

Surrey, Haringey, Doncaster and Milton Keynes were the councils that lost two stars because of their children and young people's services.

In Surrey, Haringey and Doncaster, this was largely because the councils were rated as inadequate for safeguarding children.

Of the councils that were not already rated as four star, almost half were held back from improving their ratings by their score in children and young people's services.

The Audit Commission uses Ofsted's Annual Performance Assessment data to inform the children and young people's services element of CPA.

But Surrey is appealing the Ofsted judgement that classed their children's services as inadequate, and has pulled down their CPA rating.

David Harmer, Surrey Council's deputy leader, said he was disappointed that the CPA score did not reflect the quality of local services.

He said: "We feel the assessment gave little regard to so many of the excellent services we provide to children and young people in Surrey. That is why we have launched judicial review proceedings."

From April this year, the Comprehensive Area Assessment (CAA) will replace CPA.