WEST Yorkshire Fire Authority was today rated among the best performing in the country.
The Audit Commission has rated the authority as good overall, according to its first Comprehensive Performance Assessment.
Forty-seven fire authorities in England were scored on how well they are run. Each is rated either excellent, good, fair, weak or poor.
West Yorkshire Fire Authority vice-chairman Clr Robert Light, of Birstall and Birkenshaw, said he was pleased with the result and determined to improve.
He added: "We were reasonably confident we were performing well and believe the result to be fair.
"The results are not about the force's ability to fight fire - which we believe is excellent - but focused on more management issues.
"This is the first time these ratings have come out and there is no particular area where we are doing badly.
"We will take on board the recommendations and continually attempt to improve."
Tim Watkinson, Audit Commission senior manager, said: "West Yorkshire Fire Authority has demonstrated a strong commitment to the modernisation agenda.
"It demonstrates a good and improving level of performance."
"The authority should use this assessment to help it deliver improvement.
We would expect the authority to make its improvement plans public and we will want to track progress."
Two authorities were described as excellent, 20 were good, 17 were fair, four were weak and two poor.
But the Fire Brigades Union hit out at the ratings.
A spokesman said the public judged fire brigades on how quickly they responded to emergencies and how many lives were saved.
