Dudley Council has been named as one of the most improved local authorities in the country in a new report.

The council has been ranked third in the Most Improved category of the annual Which Councils Are Best? report put together by Impower Consulting and published this week by the Municipal Journal.

Using publicly available data, the report measures performance against outcomes per pound invested in seven different categories. They are children’s social care, older people, all age disability, health and social care interface, housing and homelessness, waste and recycling and, for the first time this year, children with high needs.

Dudley was one of just three councils in the country to show improvement across all six of last year’s categories.

The council climbed 45 places in the overall rankings and did particularly well in the all age disability and health & social care categories, rising 54 and 45 places respectively. Kevin O’Keefe, chief executive, said:

“We are proud to receive national recognition for the improvement in these areas that has been made across the council in the last 12 months.

“The results of this report are testament to the efforts and hard work of our staff.

“We will continue striving to provide the best possible service for our residents, particularly those who are vulnerable and need our help

York and Cumbria were first and second respectively, with no other Midlands council in the top ten.