Infant mortality is still a huge problem in Bradford, according to a new wide-ranging and tougher test into how well public services are performing.

The new style of assessment, unveiled for the first time today, brings together details from six public watchdogs and flags up areas of exceptional performance or of significant concern.

Bradford’s Comprehensive Area Assessment has singled out reducing infant mortality as a “red flag” area for the district which needs action.

All the information which feeds into the assessment, as well as organisation checks for authorities providing services in the area, is available to the public today through the Oneplace website at direct. gov.uk/oneplace.

Stephen Gregg, Oneplace spokesman for Bradford, said: “Bradford’s public services are working well to tackle some of the big challenges facing the city.

“Although the recession has affected retail developments, investment is helping to improve the attractiveness of the city centre. Bradford is becoming safer, with most types of crime falling. Services for older people are excellent and partners work effectively to help Bradford’s diverse communities to get on well together.

“But there remain some big problems, particularly in less well-off parts of the city where many people are in poor health and some private sector housing is of low quality.

“Despite some good work, more needs to be done to reduce the number of babies who die early.

“Many children are doing better at school, but more work is needed to ensure that all children have the opportunity to do well.”

The information aims to provide an independent overview of local public services and will help people check how well services, including councils, police and the NHS, are meeting their needs and how well they are working together to improve an area’s quality of life.

These assessments combine the views of six inspectorates and they look at how important issues, such as crime, affordable housing and people’s health, are being tackled.

Green and red flags can be used, and Bradford has a red flag for failing to reduce infant mortality.

Inspectors concluded that progress to reduce the numbers of children dying in Bradford before their first birthday has been too slow, despite the publication of report in 2006 by the Infant Mortality Commission.

It included ten priority areas for action setting out what public services in the district needed to do. But the Audit Commission has found that “public services haven’t put together a plan to make sure that the right things happen at the right time and that partners are being held to account”.

It does go on to say that a lot of work has been done to understand the problem better, including the Born in Bradford project, which will follow the lives of more than 10,000 babies over the next 20 years.

Tony Reeves, chief executive of the Council and Dr Anita Sims, director of public health, NHS Bradford and Airedale, said the Bradford District Partnership had been working to improve breastfeeding rates, creating children’s centres in the most deprived wards, and supporting women to stop smoking in pregnancy.

They added that any action to minimise the impact of unemployment, poverty and poor housing all contribute to reducing the numbers of babies that die in the district every year.

“The Born in Bradford project will help give us even more understanding of how we can reduce the rates and the recommendations of a recent Department of Health national support team (NST) visit for infant mortality will enable us to focus our future so that our actions are effective and joined up across the district to ensure maximum impact to reduce infant deaths.

“Improving infant mortality rates will take time but it continues to be a very high priority for all partners in the district.”

About the assessment as a whole, Mr Reeves said: “The inspectors have given us some positive feedback. However, we know that we still have much to improve on and we will pay particular attention to the areas highlighted in the report where we are not performing well enough. We must address these issues immediately and effectively.”

Leader of the Council and chairman of Bradford District Partnership, Councillor Kris Hopkins, said: “We realise we have to improve in certain areas such as educational attainment and we are already making some headway as, for instance, the inspectors praised the B-someone campaign which we launched to raise children and young people’s learning aspirations.

“Although there is still much we need to deliver on, the inspectors’ report shows that the Council is working effectively overall with our partners and that we are creating benefits for our district and its residents.”

Simon Morritt, chief executive of NHS Bradford and Airedale, said: “We work very closely with the Council to improve health and reduce health inequalities across the district.

“The strength of this partnership working, including our many links with the community and voluntary sector, is helping to bring about real change to people’s health and well-being.”

PRIORITIES FOR BRADFORD

Prosperity and Regeneration:

* Bradford faces significant economic challenges.

* Many people live in deprived areas and do not have the skills and qualifications they need.

* Too many live in poor housing.

* Overall levels of deprivation are improving slowly.

* Work has been effective in attracting hotels and new office space.

* The district appears to be more resilient to the recession.

* Bradford is maximising the use of heritage attractions and events well.

Children and Young People:

* Children do not achieve well compared to children in similar areas.

* Achievement has risen well for the youngest children, but at age 11 remains below that found elsewhere.

* Not all of the 13 children’s homes were judged to be adequate.

* Progress to reduce the numbers of children dying in Bradford before their first birthday has been too slow l there are some serious health issues for children and young people.

Safer Communities:

* Bradford is becoming safer with big falls in violent crime, criminal damage and car theft.

* Fewer young people are entering the youth justice system.

* Too few young offenders are in education, employment or training.

* Council’s neighbourhood service, police and safer communities service are developing ward officer teams.

Health and Wellbeing for All:

* Men and women die younger than those in the rest of England.

* Major health inequalities between different areas of the district.

* Some private housing is poor.

* Highest levels of fuel poverty in West Yorkshire.

* More people are physically active than average and fewer are smoking.

* New investment in primary care and dental practices.

* Adult care services in Bradford are improving the health of older people.

Improving the Environment:

* Residents and businesses recycle or compost less of their waste.

* Amount of waste sent to landfill sites reduced.

* Streets are now cleaner and there is less litter.

* There is also less graffiti, although this is still not meeting the target.

* There are five Green Flag parks.

* Neighbourhood wardens are being established across the district.

* People are being helped with cavity wall and loft insulation.

* Partners are reducing their carbon emissions.

Strong and Cohesive Communities: * New arrivals to the district receive good support and advice.

* Tensions in communities have remained stable.

* Partners work well together.

* More people do voluntary work in Bradford than in similar areas.

* A good range of groups with different backgrounds and needs help local organisations.