Bedfordshire County Council's social care department has improved

Social care in Suffolk and Thurrock has moved up a star to the top three-star rating, a report on Thursday reveals.

Northants and Bucks, also up a star, become two-star authorities.

And zero-rated Bedfordshire has been given one star in 2005 - its first in three years. But Cambs, Milton Keynes and Luton have lost a star.

The three councils' social care departments move from two-star ratings to one.

Social care departments' star ratings Bedfordshire 1 Buckinghamshire 2 Cambridgeshire 1 Essex 2 Hertfordshire 2 Luton 1 Milton Keynes 1 Norfolk 1 Northamptonshire 2 Southend on Sea 1 Suffolk 3 Thurrock 3

Other councils in the region saw their star ratings stay the same.

All 150 councils in England were given a star rating - from zero to three stars after accommodation, education and health provisions for children and adults in council care were assessed.

Colin Hough, East of England regional director for the commission, said: "We are pleased that social care services in Suffolk and Thurrock have both achieved a three star rating.

"Encouragingly, Bedfordshire, who worked consistently to improve their services improved upon its zero star rating to become a one star authority, its first in three years."

The East Midlands spokeswoman for the Commission praised the "hard work" staff at Northamptonshire County Council had put in to boost its star rating.

Improvements made

Amanda Sherlock, the Commission's region director for the South East - which covers Milton Keynes, said councils which lost a star would "need to concentrate on improving their performance over the next year so that the downward trend does not continue further".

Suffolk County councillor Jane Midwood, portfolio holder for adult care and community services, said: "This endorsement by the inspectors, that we have improved on that service for the second year running, is fantastic."

Northamptonshire County Council cabinet member for community services Rosemary Bromwich said: "It is especially pleasing that the inspectors have said we have an excellent chance of improving further."

A Cambs County Council spokesman said findings reflected the position in the last financial year and if inspectors visited Cambridgeshire today they would find many improvements.