Firefighters praised for performance.

Derbyshire firefighters have been praised by the national audit commission, which says the service is "performing well".

The service was rated as "fair" in 2005 but has built on that rating into 2007 and was praised in the commission's report for showing strong leadership.

Cllr Paul Smith, Chairman of Derbyshire Fire Authority, said: "Achieving this score has demonstrated the progress that has been made in Derbyshire.

"The service assessment pays tribute to the strong strategic leadership which supports our service wide focus in Derbyshire.

"We are delighted that the performance of our personnel and their efforts to drive down risk to the …