WEST Devon's building control service is celebrating after being awarded a coveted two-star rating by local authority watchdog, the Audit Commission.

The service came under the spotlight earlier this year as the commission judged how well it is serving the people of West Devon.

Based on a star rating from 0 to 3, where 0 is poor and 3 is excellent, the team gave West Devon two stars.

The report said: 'It is well managed, delivered efficiently and customers rate it highly.'

It also said the prospects for improvement were 'promising' and cited a number of examples of good practice.

Cllr John Hockridge, chairman of the borough council's environment committee, said: 'This is an excellent result and testimony to the hard work of the building control inspectors who have already been awarded the prestigious Charter Mark.'

The building control department assesses building plans and inspects sites to ensure the safety of buildings.

Its inspection follows others in the council's waste management and estate management services, which were also rated 'good'.

Cllr Peter Hill, chairman of the policy and resources committee, said: 'I am delighted with all three reports. It shows that West Devon compares favourably with the national picture in which only 39% of all inspections result in a good or excellent rating.'