A DECISION over the future of a local authority branded the worst council in the country has been delayed.

Rossendale Borough Council, which came 237th out of 237 authorities in the UK, will not respond to an Audit Commission report until the middle of August.

The authority was heavily criticised for the level of service they provided for residents -- despite the fact Rossendale levies one of the highest council taxes in the country.

If the Audit Commissioners are unhappy with the council's response to their report they can call in central Government to take control of the authority.

The report recommended a radical overhaul of the senior management in the council and for a new management team to be in place by early 2003.

The Rossendale Chartists, a group set up to ensure good practice in local Government, has already sent its response to the Audit Commission's draft report. They believe those recommendations for changes do not go far enough.

Leader of Rossendale Council Graham Pearson said a letter had been received from the audit commission on Friday praising the council for their efforts since the damning report and saying any decision on whether to refer the case to central government would be delayed to give the council time to respond further.

Coun Pearson added: "The letter is very complimentary about our efforts up to now and we are determined as ever to prove that we can do the job of changing the way our council works. If we are allowed to do this job we will have difficult decisions to make but we will have the leeway to consider local issues, whereas I don't believe that an external team would."

He said the council was working with the Improvement and Development Agency, a branch of the Local Government Association, to address some of Rossendale's problems.