STAFF at Chorley Borough Council's leisure service department have been left feeling angry after an Audit Commission report failed to acknowledge a number of improvements.

The report by the Best Value Inspection said the service was 'fair' and praised a number of areas, but forecast that the service was unlikely to improve because the council has not carried out its own best value review or completed an improvement plan.

Joanna Webb, lead inspector for the best value inspection service, said: "The council's outdoor leisure service is fair, it is achieving many of its traditional aims, and delivers a fair service of ground maintenance. Customers were generally satisfied with the service and appreciated the council's efforts to improve it."

Outdoor Leisure Services has 70 staff and a £1.1m budget, and manages Chorley's Astley and Duxbury parks, cemeteries and a golf course.

However, the report says: "At the same time, several areas need improvement. We do not consider that the council has the capacity to deliver the improvements because neither the members nor senior officers display a firm commitment to do so.

"Improvement is unlikely unless the best value review is completed as soon as possible, including a thorough and challenging improvement plan to drive through much-needed changes." David Jones, head of leisure services at Chorley Borough Council, said: "We would award the best value inspection service no stars at all!

"They said we missed the deadline for our own review, which is untrue. We wrote to them in February to alert them to this, and again in June, but they haven't responded to any of the letters.

"They said we didn't provide them with financial information, but we did. The report acknowledged a fair service, but a fair service in their eyes means very good in ours."

Mr Jones said there are a number of issues he was angry about, including the criticism of members and officers' commitment to the service.

He said: "Fundamentally we disagree and we question the inspection service's research methods.

"There have been a number of concerns from other authorities about the service and in the light of this they are beginning to revise how they report back to authorities."