The Social Services Inspectorate has published updated star ratings ahead of the Comprehensive Performance Assessment of local councils in December.

Performance Indicators for Social Services have also been published, which show that the performance of social services has improved for the third year running.

The refreshed star ratings show some further overall improvement in performance and out of the 18 councils to receive a changed rating 12 have gone up and 6 have gone down.

Among the changes are the awarding of three stars to Kent, Kingston upon Thames and North Lincolnshire and two stars to Bath and North East Somerset, Camden, Herefordshire, Leeds, Medway Towns, Rochdale and Tower Hamlets.

The London Borough of Merton has also been removed from special measures and awarded one star as a result of sustained improvements over the past 18 months.

The Performance Indicators show that the number of children adopted from care increased for the fifth successive year and more people are being helped to live independently in their own home as a result of further increases in the households receiving intensive home care. There was also a further fall in the number of delayed discharges from hospital.

Health Minister Jacqui Smith said:
"I am pleased that councils have continued to work hard to improve their social services since the awarding of the first star ratings in May this year. This Government is committed to improving and reforming public services and social services are a key part of that.

"We pledged to take action to improve poor performance and will continue to support councils to help them provide better services for the communities they serve.

"The majority of the zero star councils have made progress and I am particularly pleased to see that intensive monitoring and intervention through the Performance Action Teams has had an impact in the four councils that they have been supporting in the last few months.

"The public deserve high quality social services no matter where they live and we are determined to see sustained improvements in social services performance."

Local Government Minister Nick Raynsford commenting on the star ratings contribution to the Comprehensive Performance Assessment said:

"Comprehensive Performance Assessments will draw together the social services star ratings with a wide range of different assessments to provide Government, councils and the public with a clear indication of how individual councils are performing overall.

"Assessments for all unitary and county councils in England will be published by the end of this year. These will form the basis for local and central government to work together to achieve wide ranging improvements in the delivery of all council services.

"Our aim is to enable councils to maximise the part they can play in improving the quality of life in communities throughout the country."

The refreshed ratings will be an important part of the overall council star ratings - Comprehensive Performance Assessment (CPA) - to be published in December. From next year the social services star ratings will only be published in the autumn.