THE Government is increasing its involvement in Swindon Council, despite the authority improving its performance.

In December the council was told that inspectors thought it had moved up from a 'poor' council to 'weak'.

But now councillors have been told the authority only just made it into the higher category.

Gavin Jones, director of cultural change, explained the results of the Corporate Performance Assessment to a full meeting of the council.

"We only just made it," he said. "Other councils are moving faster than us. The Office of the Deputy Prime Minister is taking the unusual step of increasing the level of involvement in Swindon Borough Council through the appointment of a new monitoring officer because they don't believe the pace of change is fast enough.

"It's really critical that members, officers and partners work collectively to rise to the challenge to make a better council," he said.

"You have political differences but what binds us together is that we all want to provide quality services to the community."

After the presentation, opposition councillors questioned the leader of the council's position.

Coun Kevin Small (Lab, Western) said: "There's been little progress made by the Conservative administration.

"The leader said this is the year of delivery. There has been no improvement in this council therefore the leader must ask the question of whether he should consider his position."

And Coun Andy Harrison (Lab, Penhill) said: "We just slipped under the wire, The council leader made it clear failure was not an option. I would like to ask the leader if he considers such slow progress a success."

After long discussion about the history of problems at Swindon Council, leader Coun Mike Bawden said it was time to look to the future.

He said: "Let's think about the future. History is interesting but the future is what counts.

"It isn't acceptable for Swindon to be bottom of the pile. None of us are prepared to accept that."

Councillors were also told that the CPA assessment was being changed for 2005 and that the test would be much tougher.

Isabel Field