Some at-risk children in Plymouth do not have their own social worker

Plymouth City Council has dropped from having one star to none, a rating it shares with seven other authorities in England.

The Department of Health gives the star ratings based on the performance in providing services for adults and children.

Devon County Council has retained the two stars it had last time and Torbay has kept its one star rating, while Cornwall was awarded three stars.

The Plymouth rating was expected after a highly critical report on its children and families services in May this year.

We've set ourselves a target of getting to two stars within two years Tudor Evans, Plymouth City Council

The council admitted at the time the department had "sunk as far as it can go".

The problems highlighted included at-risk children not having their own social worker.

However, the leader of Plymouth City Council, Tudor Evans, said many things are already improving.

He said: "I'm convinced that by this time next year, people will see the difference that has been made in many aspects of the services that we run.

"We've set ourselves a target of getting to two stars within two years, and it's much more difficult to gain stars than to lose them.

"The new administration has made considerable strides in improving services and we've developed action plans for improving performances."

In Torbay, where the one star rating was retained, officials are not totally happy.

While Torbay Council is rated as "serving some people well", the prospects for improvement are seen as "uncertain".

The council said it feels the prospects for improving social services should have been rated as "promising".

Top rated

Devon County Council's social services director, David Johnstone, welcomed the report's findings.

He said: "I believe the review to be a fair and balanced one.

"It praises Devon for aspects of our service that we have worked very hard to improve in the last 12 months, and highlights areas that we ourselves know are priorities for the coming year."

Cornwall's social services department's three-star rating, one of 16 in England, means its services are amongst the best in the country.

The department said of its work: "The social services department and Health are working particularly closely in developing a range of services which promote independence for older people and other care groups, in partnership with the independent and voluntary sectors."