IT’S official: Calderdale Council is getting worse.

A public watchdog announced yesterday (Thursday) that the council’s performance had slipped in the last year.

The Audit Commission gave Calderdale three stars, down from the maximum four stars the council was awarded the year before.

Calderdale chief executive Owen Williams admitted it was a ‘disappointing’ verdict.

“Last year, we were delighted to achieve a four-star rating,” he said.

“But we commented at the time that we faced significant challenges.

“While we are disappointed to have received a three-star rating this year, we are now in a position where we have identified what needs to be done. We are changing the way in which we work.

“We are committed to becoming a lean, customer-focused council,” he added.

The Audit Commission was critical of the way Calderdale helps residents access council services, giving it only a ‘fair’ rating of one star out of a possible three.

The report said: “Inspectors found that the council is putting a new emphasis on customer service. However, its plans have only just started to make an impact.

“There is only one one-stop shop, in Todmorden.

“The council’s A-Z directory of services contains more than 100 different telephone numbers, making it complicated for residents to find the number they need.”

Council leader Clr Stephen Baines promised Calderdale would ‘work even harder’ to boost performance.

He said: “Along with our partner organisations, we all need to work even harder for the people of Calderdale. We are taking this opportunity to remove unnecessary bureaucracy and transform the council into a truly customer-focused organisation.”

Calderdale was given the three-star rating overall following the Audit Commission’s Comprehensive Performance Assessment. Last week, the commission gave Kirklees four stars for the second year running.