KIRKLEES today kept its three-star rating from council watchdogs.

The council been judged in the second-highest star rating available from the Audit Commission for the quality of services it provides residents.

A commission study described Kirklees as "improving well" as a council.

Council leader Robert Light praised the efforts of staff and partners in keeping Kirklees high up in the tables for the quality and range of services it provides people.

Services are judged by Audit Commission inspections on a one-to-four star rating. The latter is the top rating.

Clr Light said: "What is pleasing to note is that some services continue to get a four-star rating and have maintained the high standards achieved to get to that level.

"The four-star services are social care for adults, the environment and revenues and benefits.

"Many others come close with three stars.

"The Audit Commission report shows the council is robust in dealing with its strategies, performance of services and tackling areas where improvements are needed.

"That will continue to be the case as we seek to continuously improve the services to residents and provide value for money in doing so."

In its report on the council the Audit Commission said Kirklees's performance had improved in priority areas.

It said the council had been instrumental in developing regeneration schemes, which had helped to achieve business growth above the regional and national average.

The report added: "The council's longstanding commitment to green policies means that residents have progressively benefited as the cost of energy consumption has risen.

"The council has an outstanding record on energy efficiency and renewable energy."

Improvements made during the past year included work to help vulnerable people, including children in foster care and frail, elderly people.

Programmes to meet decent housing standards had accelerated and re-let times for council housing had shortened.

The commission report went on: "Most measures of user satisfaction with services have improved, about half of them significantly.

"Kirklees mirrors the national trend in showing greater satisfaction with, and more use of, cultural facilities such as sports fields and libraries.

"Residents also report that public nuisances, such as litter, graffiti, drunken behaviour and abandoned cars, are less of a problem."