There is also a weak link between money spent and performance and poor risk-management, it claims.

The city council is under scrutiny

Staff are "committed" but need "to focus on delivering good services for the people of Bristol".

Peter Wylie regional director of the commission said: "Too little of the council's hard work is truly effective.

"Local people are not getting the quality civic leadership they deserve.

"There is no clear direction, decision-making is cumbersome and leadership is weak."

Councillor John Bees, of the ruling Labour group, said: "We do think we can do better and we are working very hard to provide better services.

Weak leadership, poor strategic planning, no clear direction really does add up to a damning indictment of our cabinet

Councillor Barry Dodds

"I am very pleased they say that most of the services in Bristol are improving."

Liberal Democrat councillor Barry Dodds said: "I think it's absolutely damning.

"There are some good things that are said but on the whole things like weak leadership, poor strategic planning, no clear direction really does add up to a damning indictment of our cabinet."

In the report the commission says it "wants to see clear leadership and direction", issues touched on by Dr Paul Burton of the Bristol Democracy Commission.

He told BBC Radio Bristol: "One criticism of the democracy commission was that Bristol should bring a shaper focus to its political leadership by supporting the proposal to have a directly-elected mayor.

'Corporate approach'

"We also suggested the council should return to having a chief executive who is known and who occupies a recognised position within the council.

"It is often not clear where the responsibility lies currently.

"They now need to get beyond the criticism and engage with some of the more specific recommendations of the report, like developing a more corporate approach.

"They also need more streamlined decision-making structures within the council, in particular in relation to certain specific areas like delivery of education services."