NORTH Yorkshire's fire and rescue service managers have been praised by independent inspectors.

North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Authority has been rated as 'good' in the first Audit Commission assessment of how well the service is being run.

The authority was applauded for investing time and money in community safety work.

Fire chiefs were also congratulated for introducing innovative methods of staff training.

The inspectors concluded: "The fire authority has achieved a great deal using its existing resources in areas of both prevention and intervention.

"The fire authority embraces a broad range of community safety work and takes its wider role seriously.

"The fire authority has robust plans to deliver its long-term vision, incorporating national, regional and local priorities, as clearly reflected in its ambitious five-year integrated risk management plan."

Steve Cluderay, the authority's temporary communications and media manager, said: "We are delighted with the rating.

"We have achieved a great deal without excessive resources.

"We don't have a great big pot of money, but we have become skilled over the years of using what we have to good effect."

Although the report was mainly positive, criticisms did include a lack of performance management at fire stations and poor communication with staff and trade unions.

Mr Cluderay said senior officers had already introduced measures to tackle these problems.

These included a regular staff newsletter and a committee to discuss issues with trade unions.

The commission stressed that its comprehensive performance assessment did not look at how well fire and rescue services responded to emergencies.

Nationally, of the 45 fire and rescue authorities to be rated as either 'excellent', 'good', 'fair', 'weak' or 'poor', only two were given the top mark.

Twenty were rated as good, 17 as fair, four as weak and two as poor.

Audit Commission chairman James Strachan said: "These scores are an encouraging start and provide a benchmark for improvement in the future.

"The results show that nearly half the authorities have started well, but there is room for much improvement across the rest."