Bradford Council was today preparing for its first major inspection which will lead to every resident across the district being told how well or poorly the Council is doing.

Every household will be told how the Council has been judged in the categories of excellent, good, fair or poor following two weeks of scrutiny by a high-powered team next month.

They will also be able to see how the Council is performing in the first national league of local authorities to be published by the Audit Commission.

And Council chief executive Ian Stewart will receive a report card in October telling him how his authority is judged to be managing.

The team would make its own decisions about who it wanted to talk to rather than interviews being arranged for it by the Council, Mr Stewart said today.

Outside organisations including representatives from the police would also be interviewed in the first check of its type on the authority. Young people are also likely to get a chance to air their views about the Council and give opinions on how their needs are being met.

The team putting Britain's fourth biggest local authority under the microscope will be led by Audit Commission inspector Jim Priestley and members will include Councillor Richard Kemp, deputy leader of Liverpool Council.

The same team will also be inspecting Britain's biggest metropolitan authority, Birmingham, and smallest, South Tyneside. It will also inspect Middlesbrough and Sheffield.

Mr Stewart said he was looking forward to receiving his report card.

"It is an excellent opportunity to look forward and see where we are going. We can build on what we are doing well and develop where we are not going well."