Nottingham city council is the worst local authority in England, while Torridge district council in Devon is the best, according to government performance statistics that expose huge variations in public sector efficiency across the country.
The data, published by a new agency, the Office for Local Government (Oflog), reveals that some councils have recycling rates that are twice as good as others and that some authorities are failing to process half of planning applications on time while others are not late on a single one.
Ministers set up Oflog last summer to provide “authoritative and accessible” performance data to support improvement in local government. The agency’s figures, published before local elections on Thursday, also show the extent to which councils are struggling with debts, with
