Bosses at a council have been criticised again, more than two years after being given a series of recommendations to improve services.

Confidence in West Dunbartonshire Council's leadership "remains low" despite repeat attempts to improve performance, according to a report released by auditors on Thursday.

The Accounts Commission said councillors "have not been sufficiently engaged" with the agenda. It also described uncertainty over the position of the chief executive, who had asked to retire last summer before agreeing to stay on until October next year.

The report says: "It is not clear to what extent strategic leadership in the council has improved and staff confidence in leadership remains low."

The local authority was the only one to face "serious criticism" over a lack of progress, the commission said.

In its last critical report, in July last year, political conflict and infighting were found to be holding the council back. The follow-up report said it was "not clear" whether working relationships have improved. The authority's finances were also in a "challenging position", the report found.

The commission said "some positive steps" had been taken but areas identified as priorities had still not been acted upon.

Accounts Commission chairman John Baillie said: "West Dunbartonshire Council's financial position is a matter of concern in itself, but is even more troubling as the council has made limited progress on ensuring appropriate strategic leadership and effective relationships between councillors and senior officers.

"We cannot be confident of the council's ability to make difficult decisions that address its financial difficulties."

Ross Finnie, Liberal Democrat MSP for West of Scotland, said: "The fact that the council has failed to make sufficient progress against any of the key improvement priorities laid down by the Accounts Commission in 2008 is unacceptable.

"I shall be writing to the chief executive of West Dunbartonshire Council requesting a meeting to seek an explanation for these continued failures."