A GOVERNMENT watchdog has dubbed Worcestershire County Council a good authority in national league tables.

All county and unitary authorities have been given a rating and placed in a league table by the Audit Commission, the independent watchdog.

The Comprehensive Performance Assessment draws together for the first time a council's performance in all areas of service provision.

Authorities were asked to honestly assess their performance before a team of inspectors made an external examination.

The authority's rating for six areas of service provision (one the lowest, four the highest) were: education three, social care children two, social care adults two, environment two, libraries and leisure four.

Use of resources also scored four.