Southend Council has hailed its first social services customer review a success - despite having to accept that it was underperforming in certain areas.

Super-councillors at the council's cabinet meeting heard from social services director Jane Held that the study - which included 450 clients - was meant to produce an independent and objective profile of client satisfaction.

All nine client groupings, including child care, children with disabilities, people with learning disabilities, older people, asylum seekers and people with mental health problems, were looked at and the results were considered a benchmark for the future.

Around 65 per cent of clients thought they received an excellent or good service, with only 11 per cent saying they got a poor or very poor service.

Around 50 per cent felt they had been satisfactorily dealt with and nearly 80 per cent thought staff were sensitive to their illness or disability.

Ms Held said: "Southend is performing better than the average in many areas, such as asking what services were needed and reviewing the services provided.

"A higher proportion said staff were sensitive to cultural issues and a much higher proportion said their opinions were listened to, that they were receiving the correct service and they were aware of the complaints procedures."

The overall conclusion of the survey was that the majority of clients, particularly asylum seekers, were satisfied with the support given by social services staff.

Ms Held said: "The fact that many clients who responded to this survey have a high level of regard for social services is a credit to the way in which these services are currently managed and delivered."

Chris Dandridge, super-councillor for health and social care, said it was good the clients knew how to complain but it would naturally mean it appeared there was a lot to complain about.

He said: "However, on the whole we can be quite pleased with the results of the review.

Our staff are considered twice as sensitive to race, culture and religion than the review average, and do almost twice as good in providing the correct service."

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