Councils are performing badly on housing, according to evidence from the first round of the new inspection regime from the Audit Commission.

The first ever Comprehensive Area Assessments (CAAs) gave just four authorities green flags for exceptional performance when it came to their housing services. Seventeen local authorities were given red flags for poor performance.

Birmingham was given a green flag for Birmingham City Housing Partnership programme, which is raising the quality and choice in housing across the city.

Croydon was awarded a green flag for its support to economic prosperity in the area. Under chief executive, Jon Rouse – a former regeneration specialist – the council is using the recession as an opportunity to build skills to meet the future needs of employers and attract new investment into the area.

Northamptonshire was recognised with a green flag for the transformation of Corby town centre. Following decline in the 1980s, an urban regeneration company was set up in 2001 and significant improvements have been made.

Poole has been given a green flag for meeting its high housing needs. It is one of the few councils to meet the Government’s house building targets and has done so in areas which would otherwise have remained run-down.

CAA judges councils and other bodies to give an overall picture of public services in the area, assessed against the priorities laid out by the council. Councils are given an overall corporate assessment, and areas are given red or green flags for exceptional or poor performance.

Red Flags

Blackburn with Darwen
Brighton and Hove
Cornwall
Doncaster
Dorset
Hertfordshire
Kingston upon Thames
Knowsley
Lincolnshire
Liverpool
Luton
North East Lincolnshire
North Tyneside
Somerset
Southwark
Suffolk
Trafford

Green Flags

Birmingham
Croydon
Northampton
Poole