BETTER schools and new homes for more children are just two reasons why county council chiefs in North Yorkshire are celebrating.

More youngsters found adoptive parents, schools performed to a high exam standard, enforcement figures meant trading standards were on top while waste management services were among the best in the country, according to the county's fourth Best Value Performance plan.

The plan, which reflects the county council performance to government targets, was said to reflect "the council's growing commitment to medium-term planning and strong performance management".

In social services, the authority achieved a "marked improvement" in the number of children for whom the council found adoptive parents in 2002/03 compared with the previous year's figures.

Schools across the county were also shown to perform at high levels with 60.2 per cent of students in North Yorkshire secondary schools achieving five or more A*-C grade GCSEs in 2002. The local education authority was the ninth best performing authority in the country and results for 2002 were well above the national average (49.5 per cent).

The council's trading standards service scored 100 per cent and topped the league tables of county councils in enforcement best practice.

The figures also showed that the county council continues to provide one of the best value-for-money waste management services in the country.

Updated: 11:04 Wednesday, July 02, 2003