The report found an improvement in care services

The Audit Scotland report pointed to higher standards in local authorities' social work departments, particularly for people in need of home care.

However, council tenants' rent arrears have reached nearly �28m, the public watchdog found.

Losses from empty houses have eased only "slightly".

In addition, the number of council homes sold within the target time fell.

In assessing care services, watchdog chairman Alastair MacNish said: "It is heartening to see improvements in standards of social work services in a number of important areas.

The commission is looking for improvements in tackling rent arrears, empty homes and speed of council house sales Alastair MacNish Audit Scotland

"The change in home care services and the continuing increase in the numbers of appropriately qualified care workers in homes for older people are encouraging, as is the improvement in councils' criminal justice services."

But only 56% of council house sales were completed inside the national target time of 26 weeks - a fall of almost 5%.

The proportion of sales completed within the target time ranged from only 3.5% in East Dunbartonshire to 94.9% in Angus.

Off target

And statistics from councils providing "reliable information" showed that 59% of homes took longer than four weeks to re-let, compared to an average of 65% in the previous year.

West Lothian was the only local authority to re-let more than 90% of its houses in the target time, compared to Aberdeen and West Dunbartonshire - where 90% of council homes took more than a month to let again.

The watchdog said: "The commission is looking for improvements in tackling rent arrears, empty homes and speed of council house sales."