BOSSES at Rossendale Council have pledged to improve services after receiving disappointing performance ratings.

The authority was given a 'poor' rating - the lowest rating possible - by the Audit Commission in the first round of Comprehensive Performance Assessments (CPA) carried out on all district councils over the last year.

The blow comes after council bosses were left reeling when a Corporate Governance Inspection in 2002 ranked Rossendale worst of 237 councils in the country.

The latest assessment looks at all areas of council performance and rates them as either excellent, good, fair, weak or poor. Neighbouring authorities of Burnley and Pendle were rated 'good'.

It is the first time an assessment of this kind has been carried out on district councils.

Rossendale Council's chief executive Owen Williams, who took over the reins in May last year, said he was not satisfied with the result -- but said he was committed to improving services for residents.

He said: "I accepted that it was going to be a challenge coming to Rossendale and there has been no escaping that it has been.

"Rossendale underwent an inspection of its corporate governance in 2002 which highlighted a series of serious weaknesses in its performance.

"Since that time we have been working with the Audit Commission, government and other agencies to plan and deliver much-needed improvements which we have started to do already."

On the recommendation of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, council bosses hold regular improvement meetings.

Mr Williams said: "We will keep having meetings until the office is satisfied that Rossendale is performing as it should. We have made progress but now's the time to make a sustainable difference to the people of Rossendale.

"We accept all the areas which have been earmarked for improvement. In terms of services, we are going to create business plans for each service to help take them forward.

"We are focusing on service delivery and we'll keep the people of Rossendale informed so they know what's happening and when it's going to happen."

The council will also create links with other organisations to help run its services more effectively.

Audit Commission chairman James Strachan said: "The council has made some improvements in service areas highlighted in a previous inspection of its corporate governance arrangements, but needs to be clearer in its vision and priorities.

"The council also needs to make its plans for the future stronger if the required fundamental changes are to be delivered."

The Audit Commission said Burnley Borough Council is ambitious about what it wants to achieve for the local area and for local people and it has already started to deliver improvements that impact on quality of life. But it said the council needed to communicate better with residents.

Burnley Council leader Stuart Caddy, said: "The council is determined to continue its strive to improve the services it provides to all communities throughout the borough."

"This report is a pat on the back for all council staff, councillors, plus the many partners who work with us. It is a big step towards our target of being classed as an excellent council."

Pendle Council was praised for the strong partnerships it had developed with other local organisations.

The Audit Commission also said it had effective leaders, well-managed finances, committed, capable councillors and senior managers, and a staff dedicated to serving the public.

Its waste management, housing benefits and leisure services were found to perform well.

Council leader Alan Davies, said: "We are very proud that we have been found to be a good council.

"If we had achieved one more point in two of the categories we would have been classed as excellent."

The council was criticised for not consulting effectively with residents over proposed changes, particularly in housing and was also told it needed to make quicker progress to tackle poor housing in the district.

Coun Davies said these criticisms were made because the Audit Commission inspectors had visited when the Government made its decision to save houses in Whitefield, Nelson, from demolition.