WATCHDOGS have scored full marks in attempting to ensure high standards at old folk's homes.

Members of Bury's inspection and registration unit, run by social services, made all the inspections required by law to adult care homes last year.

The 100 per cent completion rate is well up on the previous year's 78 per cent, and double that of two years ago.

Town hall chiefs say the performance has improved because staff have been replaced. The unit was without a boss for two years until the arrival of John Keating in January last year.

In 1999/2000, the unit carried out 181 inspections on homes in the public, private and voluntary sector which look after elderly people, those with learning difficulties or mental health problems.

They revisited 24 homes (18 of them private) to check that required improvements had been made.

More than nine out of ten home owners praised the unit for the "even handedness" and "professionalism" of its staff. A report to councillors also reveals that the time taken to complete reports and publish them has been slashed.

Mr Keating, unit head, said: "Obviously there are still improvements that we can and will make but clearly a lot of very good work is being done."