COUNCILLOR Nick Martin (Con, Shaw and Nine Elms) says Swindon Council is starting to make progress in shaking Government inspectors off its back.

Coun Martin, lead member for corporate recovery, service delivery and best value, said that now most of the quick fixes in the 80-point recovery plan had been achieved, the hard work would start.

Last year, the council was branded one of the 13 worst in the country in the Government's Corporate Performance Assessment, with the education and social services departments singled out for special criticism.

It was forced to draw up a recovery plan, which aimed to improve everything from poor internal communications to weak management. Keith Skerman arrived at the Civic Offices to start work yesterday as the council's new head of social services. Only one school in the borough, Headlands in Stratton, remains in special measures.

Coun Martin said: "We're at the point where we need to redraft the recovery plan because a lot of the quick wins have been achieved.

"I have no reason to believe we're not on course.

"From here on in is where the more solid changes come into play. ''

Last week Government inspectors Ofsted finished their inspections, while trouble-shooter Tony Allen remains at the Civic Offices one day a week to help chief executive Simon Birch implement the recovery plan.