PRIME minister Tony Blair's 'home' council of Islington is to be put under the microscope by a team of inspectors - including the leader of Blackburn with Darwen Council.

Coun Malcolm Doherty has travelled south to judge how Islington Council in London measures up in comparison to other councils in the country.

The exercise is part of the local government improvement project which looks at the way councils are hitting the targets set by the government's modernisation programme.

Tony and Cherie Blair retained their home in Islington even though they spend much of their time at Downing Street.

Coun Doherty said: "I am delighted to be invited to help review services in Islington. I believe it is a tribute to the success we have achieved in the short time since we became a unitary authority.

"We were among the first councils to be assessed in the local government improvement programme peer group scheme and the review team was clearly impressed with the work we had carried out and the systems we had put in place."

Blackburn with Darwen Council was one of five boroughs chosen in 1998 to pilot the programme and it received a glowing report from inspectors, only a few months after unitary status had been attained.

The review team in Blackburn included a chief executive and representatives from the local government association, Sheffield City Council, Sheffield Hallam University and accounts Deloitte and Touche. A verdict was delivered after the inspection that the council had "done a lot and done it well".

Coun Doherty has also been part of review team which has looked at the services provided by Knowlsey Council near Liverpool.

The council's chief executive, Phil Watson, led a review group in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, and executive director Steve Weaver helped to assess Redcar and Cleveland Council.

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