Audit Commission inspectors have found that South Lakeland District Council has improved its delivery of services by 62 per cent since it was last checked in 2004/5.

The national average for improvement was 58 per cent, said the Commission, and while the council was rated as "weak" in 2003 it had improved substancially in a total of 21 different service areas.

SLDC leader Brendan Jameson said: "We are delighted with the Audit Commission's findings, which continue a recent trend of positive feedback from a number of agencies on our rate of success. Sixty-two per cent is a huge increase in performance and to be well above the national average is excellent news."

For full story see this week's Westmorland Gazette.