A PIONEERING drive to improve key public services in Kent has landed the county council a £21million cash windfall.

Kent County Council will be given the money by the Government after it succeeded in meeting key targets to save lives, cut disorderly behaviour and improve social care.

The county council was one of the first local authorities who signed up to the Government’s Public Service Agreement programme – a joint initiative aimed at improving performance in front line services.

Under the scheme, KCC set out 12 targets to improve specific services across all departments, working with other organisations, like Kent Police and district councils.

It met all but two of these. Successes included doubling the rate of adoptions; cutting the amount of time the elderly spend in hospital and reducing public disorder incidents by 30 per cent.

Council leader Sir Sandy Bruce-Lockhart paid tribute to what he said were the “outstanding efforts” of council staff and partner organisations.

“Our own staff also went at this with a verve and ambition that led to results that have transformed the lives of many Kent residents. These targets were difficult to achieve and I congratulate our staff for their extraordinary initiative.”

Road accident injuries to children in Ashford, Dover and Gravesend have been almost halved, from 100 to 55 a year, as a result of various safety initiatives.

The extra £21million will now be ploughed back into further target-driven schemes.

KCC will now turn to agreeing a new set of targets with the government for a second round of the PSA scheme. It plans to set new targets aimed at helping less fortunate people move away from welfare dependency.