A TEAM of local government experts, which inspected Richmondshire District Council last month, praised the authority for its "can-do" ethos and commitment to best value.

As part of an overhaul of local government, the district council volunteered for an inspection, in the hope it could lead to an improvement in the services it provides.

The examination concluded that the administration is strong in terms of staff, partnerships with other local agencies, a long-term strategy, and a commitment to improve its housing stock.

Chief executive Harry Tabiner said: "It's just as important to know what you are doing well, as it is to highlight areas where more work is needed.

"You learn from both sets of information, and a positive approach is vital to maintain morale and determination to do better.''

However, the authority is still smarting from an attack on its tourism policies by another Best Value team, which examined the council's record earlier this year.

It described the standard of services as "fair", but "unlikely to improve" unless the administration embraced a number of recommendations, including more frequent assessments of its facilities.