Rankings · Unitary council
Central Bedfordshire
Central Bedfordshire council ranks 53rd of 130 single-tier councils in England (likely range 33rd to 64th), in the upper middle. Strongest on value for money (9th of 127), weakest on financial health (89th of 127).
Compare Central Bedfordshire with another council
Data as of 13 October 2026 · methodology v2.0 (stable) · to cite: "Central Bedfordshire council, Council Rankings, 13 October 2026, https://councilrankings.com/council/central-bedfordshire/"
Likely range 33rd–64th. Stays in the upper middle in 92% of re-runs. How we work this out
How Central Bedfordshire scores
Bar length shows the share of the 130 councils that Central Bedfordshire beats. Overall weights: service quality 60%, value for money 20%, financial health 20%. Select any measure below to see how every council compares on it.
Service quality
Allowing for need, Central Bedfordshire ranks 63rd of 130 (likely range 48th–77th), against 47th unadjusted. That is 16 places lower once need is allowed for. The difference is larger than the uncertainty, so this is one of the few councils where allowing for need clearly changes the picture (why).
Adjusted: children's services, adult social care and waste & recycling. Not adjusted, because there is no published measure of need: planning, complaints, special educational needs and homelessness. This view is not part of the overall rank. How we adjust
Planning
| Measure | Central Bedfordshire | Median of 130 | Rank | Period |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Major planning decisions made in time (24 months) Higher is better | 89.3% | 93.7% | 93 / 130 | 2024 Q3 to 2026 Q2 |
| Non-major planning decisions made in time (24 months) Higher is better | 95.1% | 92.0% | 36 / 130 | 2024 Q3 to 2026 Q2 |
| Planning decisions in the financial year Higher is better · context only | 1,444 | 1,092 | – | 2025-26 |
Source: MHCLG — Planning application statistics (PS2)
Waste & recycling
| Measure | Central Bedfordshire | Median of 130 | Rank | Period |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Household waste sent for reuse recycling or composting Higher is better | 42.4% | 37.4% | 49 / 130 | 2024-25 |
| Residual household waste per household Lower is better | 567 kg | 516 kg | 97 / 130 | 2024-25 |
Source: DEFRA — Local authority collected waste management
Complaints
| Measure | Central Bedfordshire | Median of 130 | Rank | Period |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ombudsman upheld decisions per 100k residents Lower is better | 5.1 | 4.8 | 73 / 130 | 2024-25 to 2025-26 |
| Ombudsman investigations upheld Lower is better | 86.5% | 81.9% | 93 / 130 | 2024-25 to 2025-26 |
| Ombudsman recommendations implemented on time Higher is better | 83.3% | 75.0% | 47 / 128 | 2025-26 |
| Ombudsman recommendations implemented Higher is better · context only | 100.0% | 100.0% | – | 2025-26 |
| Upheld complaints already remedied by the council before reaching the Ombudsman Higher is better · context only | 23.5% | 15.2% | – | 2025-26 |
Source: Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman — annual review data
Children's services
| Measure | Central Bedfordshire | Median of 130 | Rank | Period |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ofsted overall effectiveness (children's services) Higher is better | Good | Good | =40 / 130 | latest at 2026-03-31 |
| Ofsted sub-judgements (average) Higher is better | Good | Good | =56 / 130 | latest at 2026-03-31 |
Source: Ofsted — Local authority inspection outcomes
Adult social care
| Measure | Central Bedfordshire | Median of 130 | Rank | Period |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CQC assessment score for adult social care Higher is better | 66.7%Good assessment published 18 March 2026 | 63.9% | =37 / 126 | latest at 2026-10-13 |
| Quality of life of people who use services (adjusted) Higher is better | 0.434 | 0.417 | 28 / 129 | 2024-25 |
| People who use services satisfied with their care and support Higher is better | 66.5% | 65.5% | =50 / 129 | 2024-25 |
| Older people still at home 12 weeks after hospital discharge into reablement Higher is better | 68.4% | 62.5% | 18 / 119 | 2024-25 |
| Adults aged 18 to 64 with a learning disability who live in their own home or with family Higher is better | 78.2% | 83.9% | 100 / 129 | 2024-25 |
| People who use services who feel safe Higher is better | 75.0% | 70.7% | 22 / 129 | 2024-25 |
Source: CQC — Local authority assessment reports; DHSC — Adult Social Care Outcomes Framework
Special educational needs
| Measure | Central Bedfordshire | Median of 130 | Rank | Period |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New EHC plans issued within 20 weeks Higher is better | 52.1% | 58.3% | 69 / 130 | 2024 to 2025 |
Source: DfE — Education, health and care plans
Homelessness
| Measure | Central Bedfordshire | Median of 130 | Rank | Period |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Homelessness prevented: accommodation secured for 6+ months Higher is better | 49.4% | 51.7% | 77 / 130 | 2025-09 to 2026-03 |
| Homelessness relieved: accommodation secured for 6+ months Higher is better | 41.9% | 33.5% | 35 / 130 | 2025-09 to 2026-03 |
| Households in temporary accommodation per 1000 households Lower is better | 1.8 | 2.8 | 48 / 126 | 2026-03 |
| Families with children in B&B for more than 6 weeks Lower is better · context only | Not reported this quarter | 0 | – | 2026-03 |
Value for money
Adult social care value for money
Central Bedfordshire spends £532 per adult on adult social care, against about £553 expected after allowing for older people's poverty, how many residents are over 65 and whether a council is in London (£21 less). Its adult social care results rank 28th of 125.
Good results, lower cost · value for money rank 46th of 122
Children's services value for money
Central Bedfordshire spends £919 per child on children's services, against about £1,411 expected after allowing for child poverty and whether a council is in London (£492 less). Its children's services results rank 56th of 130.
Good results, lower cost · value for money rank 14th of 127
Waste value for money
Central Bedfordshire spends £158 per home on waste & recycling, against about £193 expected after allowing for deprivation, whether a council is in London and share of census output areas classed rural (£35 less). Its waste & recycling results rank 72nd of 130.
Weaker results, lower cost · value for money rank 25th of 127
Planning value for money
Central Bedfordshire spends £324 per planning decision on planning, against about £702 expected after allowing for whether a council is in London (£378 less). Its planning results rank 62nd of 130.
Good results, lower cost · value for money rank 42nd of 127
Financial health
Reserves
| Measure | Central Bedfordshire | Median of 130 | Rank | Period |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Usable reserves as a share of net revenue expenditure Higher is better | 17.4% | 33.0% | 105 / 127 | 2025-26 |
| Change in usable reserves over the year as a share of net revenue expenditure Higher is better | -0.2% | 0.4% | 70 / 127 | 2025-26 |
Debt
| Measure | Central Bedfordshire | Median of 130 | Rank | Period |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Debt servicing costs as a share of net revenue expenditure Lower is better | 13.2% | 9.7% | 92 / 127 | 2025-26 |
| Borrowing need (excluding council housing) as a share of net revenue expenditure Lower is better | 282.1% | 184.6% | 101 / 127 | 2024-25 borrowing, 2025-26 spend |
Schools funding deficit
| Measure | Central Bedfordshire | Median of 130 | Rank | Period |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| High-needs (DSG) deficit as a share of net revenue expenditure Lower is better | 26.8% | 8.8% | 118 / 127 | 2025-26 |
Government bailouts
| Measure | Central Bedfordshire | Median of 130 | Rank | Period |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exceptional Financial Support over three years as a share of net revenue expenditure Lower is better | 0.0% | 0.0% | =1 / 127 | 2024-25 to 2026-27 |
Context
Background figures. These don't count towards the score.
| Population | 321,605 | median 277,253 | mid-2025 |
| Net service spend per resident | £1,570.73 | median £2,026.28 | 2025-26 |
| Index of Multiple Deprivation average score | 13.102 | median 24.057 | 2025 |
| Families with children in B&B for more than 6 weeks | Not reported this quarter | median 0 | 2026-03 |
| Who runs the council | Independent minority administration | 16 September 2026 | |
| Seats on the council | Independent and other 28, Conservative 20, Liberal Democrat 8, Labour 4, Reform UK 2, Green 1 (of 63 seats) | 16 September 2026 | |
| Audit opinion on the latest accounts | Opinion signed 17 October 2025. PSAA status: delivered by backstop. | 2024-25 | |
| Years of the last three with no audit opinion signed | 0 | median 0 | 2022-23 to 2024-25 |
| Band D council tax (council element) | £1,931.54 | median £1,969.00 | 2026-27 |
| Band D council tax change on previous year | 5.0% | median 5.0% | 2026-27 |
| Band D council tax total bill (incl. GLA/police/fire/combined authority) | £2,516.16 | median £2,435.01 | 2026-27 |
Councils nearby
The closest ranked councils by distance between council centres. Nearness says nothing about how similar they are.
- Luton: 56th of 130, upper middle · compare
- Bedford: 122nd of 130, bottom quarter · compare
- Milton Keynes: 27th of 130, top quarter · compare
- Buckinghamshire: 98th of 130, bottom quarter · compare
- Barnet: 87th of 130, lower middle · compare
ONS code E06000056 · How we score · Report an error · Changelog