Councillors have pledged to overhaul child protection measures at Wales' largest social services department following a damning government report.

Senior authority members and councillors at Cardiff County Council have been held responsible for huge failings which have left children at risk.

But one social worker who assesses child protection cases for Cardiff has already said things are getting worse, not better.

Jane Hutt is concerned by the report

According to the worker, who wanted to remain anonymous, staff shortages meant children's needs still were not being properly assessed.

Councillors met on Thursday night to discuss the joint review, which followed a three-month investigation into Cardiff Council by the audit commission and social service inspectorate.

The whole running of Cardiff Council was criticised as being "macho" and damaging to staff morale.

Inspectors also heard from staff who described management as "arrogant", "bullying" and "secretive".

As a result of these shortcomings, children are in danger, the report said.

Research showed that, by late 2001, the number of referrals of children's cases had stockpiled to 163.

They included a two-year-old with a facial cigarette burn and cases of alleged sexual abuse.

There was also a case in which a child showed signs of a blow to the head, and two weeks later suffered secondary burns after being dragged over tarmac.

Following the publication of the report, Assembly Social Services Minister Jane Hutt said it was "vital" the council used the report to make necessary improvements.

Ms Hutt plans to meet council leaders and a follow-up inspection has been ordered for early year.

Legal case dropped

The council has been in the spotlight during the past 12 months over the dismissal of two senior social workers, Charles Faber and Neil White.

Mr Faber had turned "whistleblower" in a BBC documentary about the state of social services in the city, while Mr White had refused to sack a member of staff for expressing her own concerns.

Charles Faber: Sacked for 'whistleblowing'

Members of the local government union, Unison, took industrial action in support of their colleagues.

Cardiff council dropped legal action against the BBC's Week In Week Out programme, which alleged children in care had ended up on the streets, falling prey to drugs, drink and paedophiles.

And the authority was challenged last month over what opposition councillors claimed was an excessive legal bill for dealing with the so-called "whistleblower" cases.

The publication of the joint report by the Audit Commission and Social Services Inspectorate was part of a regular review of standards.

The row over legal costs began when it emerged legal firm Eversheds was employed to fight claims.

These included, say council members, that of former social work manager Mr White, who was sacked from the authority after refusing to discipline whistleblower Beverley Bush.

Beverley Bush raised concerns about elderly care

Mr White subsequently began a fight at an industrial tribunal for reinstatement.

Sue Lent, a Labour councillor for Cardiff, herself a social worker in a different authority, said the findings of the report reflected concerns expressed by some within the council for a long time.

"There's nothing new in it," she told BBC Radio Wales. "We were saying these things two years ago - recommendations have not been implemented."

Coun Lent said she was "pessimistic" about the chances of change following the report.

"There is a refusal by senior members to listen to what members of the council at a lower level, like myself, have been saying.

"I have had the whip withdrawn for speaking out over allegations," she said.