The full scores for all 150 single-tier authorities for the Comprehensive Performance Assessments, 2008. The last-ever Comprehensive Performance Assessments have seen a heartening increase in scores. A total of 35 councils were ‘improving strongly' in 2008, and 62 councils – or 42% – were four star. However, a week is a long time in local government. The data collected by the Audit Commission pre-dates the beginning of the recession, and while it may give an indication of council's abilities, the economic downturn will give councils further difficulties to overcome. Chief executive of the commission, Steve Bundred, said: ‘I don't think there's a direct correlation between the amount of money a council spends and the quality of services.' But he warned that a lack of cash would not be an excuse for a fall in services next year. Local government minister, John Healey, said the assessment ‘highlighted the improvements councils have made in recent years'. He said: ‘Local authorities and the rest of the public sector all need to deliver top-class services for their residents, who are relying on them more than ever in today's economic climate.' Name of council Star category Direction of travel 2007 star rating Barking and Dagenham 4 star Improving strongly 3 star Bexley 4 star Improving well 4 star Blackburn with Darwen 4 star Improving well 4 star Bolton 4 star Improving strongly 4 star Brighton and Hove 4 star Improving well 3 star Bromley 4 star Improving well 3 star Buckinghamshire 4 star Improving well 3 star Bury 4 star Improving well 2 star Camden 4 star Improving strongly 4 star Corporation of London 4 star Improving strongly 4 star Coventry 4 star Improving well 3 star Darlington 4 star Improving strongly 4 star Derby 4 star Improving well 4 star Derbyshire 4 star Improving well 4 star Devon 4 star Improving well 3 star Dudley 4 star Improving well 4 star Durham County 4 star Improving well 4 star Ealing 4 star Improving strongly 3 star East Riding of Yorkshire 4 star Improving strongly 4 star East Sussex 4 star Improving well 3 star Enfield 4 star Improving well 3 star Halton 4 star Improving well 4 star Hammersmith & Fulham 4 star Improving strongly 4 star Hampshire 4 star Improving strongly 4 star Hartlepool 4 star Improving strongly 4 star Hounslow 4 star Improving well 3 star Islington 4 star Improving strongly 3 star Kensington and Chelsea 4 star Improving strongly 4 star Kent 4 star Improving strongly 4 star Kirklees 4 star Improving adequately 4 star Knowsley 4 star Improving well – Leicestershire 4 star Improving strongly 4 star Lewisham 4 star Improving well 4 star Merton 4 star Improving strongly 3 star Middlesbrough 4 star Improving strongly 4 star Norfolk 4 star Improving well 3 star North Yorkshire 4 star Improving strongly 4 star Northumberland 4 star Improving well 4 star Nottinghamshire 4 star Improving well 3 star Poole 4 star Improving well 4 star Richmond 4 star Improving strongly 3 star Sefton 4 star Improving well 4 star Sheffield 4 star Improving well 4 star Shropshire + 4 star Improving well 4 star Somerset 4 star Improving strongly 4 star South Gloucestershire 4 star Improving strongly 3 star South Tyneside 4 star Improving strongly 4 star St Helens 4 star Improving well 4 star Stockport 4 star Improving strongly 4 star Stockton-on-Tees 4 star Improving well 4 star Suffolk 4 star Improving well 4 star Sunderland 4 star Improving well 4 star Sutton 4 star Improving strongly 4 star Tameside 4 star Improving well 4 star Tower Hamlets 4 star Improving well 3 star Wakefield 4 star Improving well 3 star Waltham Forest 4 star Improving well 3 star Wandsworth 4 star Improving strongly 4 star Warrington 4 star Improving well 4 star Westminster 4 star Improving strongly 4 star Wigan 4 star Improving well 4 star Worcestershire 4 star Improving strongly 4 star Barnet 3 star Improving strongly 4 star Barnsley 3 star Improving well 3 star Bath & North East Somerset 3 star Improving well 3 star Bedfordshire 3 star Not reported 3 star Blackpool 3 star Improving well 3 star Bournemouth 3 star Improving well 2 star Bracknell Forest 3 star Improving well 4 star Brent 3 star Improving strongly 3 star Calderdale 3 star Improving adequately 4 star Cambridgeshire 3 star Improving well 3 star Cheshire 3 star Not reported 4 star Cornwall + 3 star Not improving adequately 3 star Croydon 3 star Improving well 3 star Dorset 3 star Improving well 3 star Essex 3 star Improving well 3 star Gateshead 3 star Improving well 4 star Gloucestershire 3 star~ Improving well 3 star Greenwich 3 star Improving well 3 star Hackney 3 star Improving strongly 3 star Havering 3 star Improving well 3 star Hertfordshire 3 star Improving well 3 star Kingston upon Hull 3 star Improving well 2 star Kingston upon Thames 3 star Improving well 3 star Lambeth 3 star Improving well 3 star Lancashire 3 star Improving adequately 4 star Leeds 3 star Improving adequately 4 star Luton 3 star Improving adequately 3 star Manchester 3 star Improving well 3 star Medway 3 star Improving adequately 3 star Newham 3 star Improving adequately 3 star North Lincolnshire 3 star Improving well 4 star North Somerset 3 star Improving strongly 3 star North Tyneside 3 star Improving well 3 star Oxfordshire 3 star Improving well 3 star Peterborough 3 star Improving adequately 3 star Portsmouth 3 star Improving well 3 star Reading 3 star Improving adequately 3 star Redbridge 3 star Improving strongly 3 star Rochdale 3 star Improving well 2 star Rotherham 3 star Improving adequately 4 star Rutland 3 star Improving well 1 star Salford 3 star Improving well 3 star Slough 3 star Improving adequately 2 star Solihull 3 star Improving well 3 star Southampton 3 star Improving well 4 star Southend-on-Sea 3 star Improving strongly 3 star Southwark 3 star Improving well 3 star Staffordshire 3 star Improving strongly 2 star Telford and Wrekin 3 star Improving well 4 star Trafford 3 star Improving well 3 star Walsall 3 star Improving well 3 star Warwickshire 3 star Improving well 3 star West Berkshire 3 star Improving strongly 3 star West Sussex 3 star Improving well 4 star Wiltshire+ 3 star Improving well 3 star Windsor & Maidenhead 3 star Improving well 3 star Wirral 3 star Improving well 2 star Birmingham 2 star Improving well 3 star Bradford 2 star Improving adequately 3 star Bristol 2 star Improving well 2 star Cumbria 2 star Improving well 2 star Harrow 2 star Improving well 2 star Herefordshire 2 star Improving well 2 star Hillingdon 2 star Improving well 2 star Isle of Wight 2 star Improving adequately 2 star Leicester 2 star Improving adequately 3 star Lincolnshire 2 star~ Improving well 2 star Liverpool 2 star Improving well 1 star Newcastle upon Tyne 2 star Improving well 3 star North East Lincolnshire 2 star Improving adequately 2 star Northamptonshire 2 star Improving adequately 2 star Nottingham 2 star Improving well 2 star Oldham 2 star Improving adequately 2 star Plymouth 2 star Improving well 2 star Redcar and Cleveland 2 star Improving well 4 star Sandwell 2 star Improving well 2 star Stoke on Trent 2 star Improving strongly 3 star Swindon 2 star Improving well 2 star Thurrock 2 star Not improving adequately 2 star Torbay 2 star Improving well 2 star Wokingham 2 star Improving adequately 3 star Wolverhampton 2 star Improving well 3 star York 2 star Improving adequately 3 star Doncaster 1 star Not improving adequately 3 star Haringey 1 star Not improving adequately 3 star Milton Keynes 1 star Not improving adequately 3 star Surrey 1 star~ Not improving adequately 3 star Isles of Scilly Improving adequately + Councils that have not received a new-style corporate assessment due to local government reorganisation n/a Not applicable ~ The star rating is subject to the outcome of judicial review