COUNCIL chiefs met more than two thirds of targets aimed at improving the lives of residents in Torfaen, a new report has shown.

Torfaen council achieved 76 out of 131 short-term targets – 72 per cent – during the last financial year, a council scrutiny report revealed on Wednesday.

However, the Labour council failed to achieve some of its aims in areas including education, social services and benefit prosecutions.

Hence, Torfaen council hoped to eradicate the number of pupils in care who leave education or training without a qualification, but this surged from 4.17 to 5.88 per cent.

The percentage of assessed young carers known to social services was expected to surge from 82.35 to 90 per cent but it dropped to 65.71 per cent in 13/14.

The council hoped the number of successful benefit related prosecutions, penalties and cautions accepted during the year would increase from 41 to 50 but this dropped to 28.

Education chiefs also hoped to boost primary school attendance slightly, but it decreased from 94.06 to 93.56 per cent.

They also expected to eradicate school exclusions but they soared from 0.47 to 0.66 per 1,000 pupils in secondary schools in 13/14.

In addition, the number of days lost because of exclusions rose from 315 in 12/13 to 391.5 in 13/14.

The council also wished to increase the average point score of Key Stage 5 pupils to 800 but it was only 787.88 in 13/14.