SOCIAL care in Bolton is among the best in the North-west, according to two independent reports.

Bolton Council scored “excellent” in a review by the Commission for Social Care Inspections (CSCI) of the quality of life of older people, one of only six out of 22 local authorities in the region to do so.

The council also secured a three-star rating from the CSCI for the fourth consecutive year for its overall performance in adult social care.

The CSCI hailed the success of work to prevent vulnerable adults being abused and campaigns encouraging people to treat older people with respect as key factors behind Bolton’s “excellent” rating. Inspectors also praised schemes that the council has introduced to help older people stay fit and active, like free access to leisure centres for over-65s.

They said Bolton also performed to an excellent standard in getting people back on their feet after time in hospital, by working with Bolton Primary Care Trust to ensure they got physiotherapy and home help when needed.

Today’s reports have been welcomed by council officials. Councillor Madeline Murray, the executive member for adult social care and health, said: “We’re delighted with these findings as inspectors didn’t just look at how we perform on paper, but met with local people and their carers to find out about how services are delivered in the borough.

“We hope these results will give people reassurance that we already have some excellent services for adults of all ages.”

Bolton’s performance has only been matched by Salford and Tameside in Greater Manchester. Bury and Rochdale both improved from a one-star rating to a two-star “good” overall.