KENT County Council has been named as one of the country’s premier authorities in the country in new Government “league tables.”

KCC was identified as one of the top councils by the Audit Commission in performance league tables rating 150 of the country’s principal authorities.

The council was rated as “excellent” – the highest grading possible – and placed in the top 15 per cent of all authorities.

County Hall leaders expressed delight at the news.The Audit Commission’s judgement, made under a scheme known as Comprehensive Performance Assessment, was based on scores given for the quality of key council services.

In Kent’s case, as with all county councils, these scores were based on an independent assessment of how well it was doing in social services, education and environment, as well as central administration.

The Audit Commission said Kent “plays a powerful role in the community and provides good services, particularly in social care.”

In a joint statement, leader of the council Sandy Bruce-Lockhart and chief executive, Mike Pitt said: “This is the most intensive health check the council has been put through. It is great to receive the top rating but we have more to do.”

“The top rating is a tremendous tribute to staff but everyone is aware that the job is far from finished in Kent and that our drive to provide even better services for our residents goes on.”

Opposition Labour group leader Cllr Mike Eddy said: “This is a great tribute to our staff. It is a good report and reasonably fair. However, there are areas of the council where we do need to improve, such as primary school results, provision for early years and in the library service.”

One benefit to KCC is that it will have greater freedom to use Government cash and the ability to switch funding across services where it is needed most.

Neighbouring Medway was given a “good” rating.