WORCESTERSHIRE County Council was given a glowing write-up by the Audit Commission.

The authority was given the top ranking of "excellent" in its Comprehensive Performance Assessment.

It was judged to have shown "positive achievements" which "continue to improve the quality of life for local people".

The report said: "The council continues to deliver improvements in priority areas including social care, education and libraries and leisure, while the quality of the county's road network has been enhanced too."

Although the council was effective at communicating its priorities to residents, satisfaction levels were mixed, with a "reduction in the overall level of satisfaction of service offered by the council."

The authority's handling of a massive shake-up of Wyre Forest schools had been singled out for particular criticism in the past six months.

A medium-term financial strategy had not been developed, the report added.

It was mostly good news for the authority, though. The council's scrutiny committees - one of which called in the education review - was singled out for praise, especially with an exercise which kept Hartlebury Museum open.

It noted the financial picture was also sound, with £40 million in reserves.