INDEPENDENT auditors have ruled that no further investigation is needed into Darlington's Pedestrian Heart scheme.

PricewaterhouseCoopers has released its annual audit of Darlington Borough Council for 2009-10.

The audit has marked the council to be performing well in six criteria and adequate in the final section.

It identified only two areas for improvement - to introduce personal budgets for carers and increase the number of care staff.

The audit also said there was no need for further investigation over the Pedestrian Hart scheme because the relevant information was already in the public domain, there had been significant media coverage and management improvement of more recent projects had taken place and was robust.

Members of the cabinet will receive the annual audit letter at a meeting next Tuesday.

Councillor Chris McEwan, the council's cabinet member for efficiency and resources, said: "The annual audit is an independent and important check on how the council is managing its accounts, its approach to risk and the general management of public funds.

"The council has been given a clear bill of health for the year and it is very reassuring to receive independent confirmation that we are well managed - particularly as we enter a period of public spending reductions."