BURY needs to improve its services for people with learning disabilities, say inspectors.

They have given the council the equivalent of a "one star" rating (on a scale of zero to three), which means "that some people were being served well and that the capacity for improvement was promising".

The Commission for Social Care Inspection says Bury has some very good services, but it also flags up the high cost of care involved in sending people outside the borough.

The commission says Bury needs to move away from "institutional" care, plan for better day services, set up an integrated community health and social care team, and improve management of an overspending budget.

Council bosses say the report is fair, and that improvements have been made since the service was inspected in January.

Among the recommendations that Bury is acting on are plans to develop a local specialist autism service which would stop people being sent elsewhere.

It also aims to take a lead in employing people with learning disabilities, and identify the needs of minority groups.