Social services in North Lincolnshire are among the best in country, according to Government inspectors who gave the top marks.

Another look at social services with North Lincolnshire Council has seen it upgraded from two to three stars - the best marks possible.

When the Social Services Inspectorate filed a report earlier this year it found that services for adults were 'promising' and children's services were excellent.

Now, in a regrading exercise, inspectors recognised improvements and gave the council three stars.

They looked at services for helping older people live independently, rather than being placed in residential homes; families in crisis, the protection of children at risk, plus help and support for people with disabilities.

Up to 7,000 people a year are provided with social services from the authority and on any given day up to 1,000 people are receiving them. Many of them are among the most vulnerable people in the community.

The regrading has placed North Lincolnshire Council as the best of the 45 unitary authorites in England and Wales - areas with one principal level of local government. It was also the only authority in the Yorkshire and Humber region to gain three stars.

Coun John Waldron, the council's cabinet member for social services, said: "I am delighted it has been recognised that the people of North Lincolnshire enjoy social services which are among the very best in the country.
"Social services provide a lifeline to vulnerable people in our community, and the council's commitment to providing the highest quality of support has paid off."

The inspectors in their report recognised the council's move to improve services further and praised staff for their progressive use of information in analysing needs, managing the performance of staff, assessing activity and explaining their work to people. The findings came from performance monitoring after the visit earlier this year.

Coun Waldron said: "The judgement is a great credit to staff in social services, who have all given their best to produce this result for the community and we must not forget that the three star rating for the council's services is an equal tribute to our partners in the rest of the council, in health, probation, the police and other agencies."

The results were made public at last night's meeting of the authority at Pittwood House and council leader Nic Dakin said the findings added to the other areas of service, such as education, which have also been given good and excellent ratings by inspectors.

This all showed how the council was progressive and positive and he added: "This is a record that everyone in the council and North Lincolnshire can be proud of."

Conservative opposition leader Coun Don Stewart congratulated the council too, but added: "Now we will have to do even better though there are some things that I have reported to social services that have made me very disappointed."

A one minute silence was observed before the meeting as a mark of respect for Nicola Henley (31), of Barrow, a safety officer in the environment and public protection department who was killed in a road traffic at Mortal Ash Hill, Scunthorpe.

The Mayor of North Lincolnshire, Coun Darrell Barkworth said: "Nicky was a very cheerful, friendly, hard working member of staff. I am sure the department and the council will miss her greatly."