Travelling in the right direction

Making progress and improving performance year on year is an expectation many Hull people know all too well.
It applies to virtually every walk of life, with perhaps two well-known examples being sport and the business world.
And it's exactly the same for Hull City Council - we face constant pressure to improve our performance because you, the people of Hull, are our customers and you rightly demand value for money.
So this is why a recently-published report into how well the council is performing comes as a welcome milestone.
It shows we are travelling in the right direction and getting things right.
According to an assessment of the council carried out by a Government agency called the Audit Commission, we are now 'improving well.' This is a clear marker of progress from our previous rating when we were only 'improving adequately'.
Not only that, the widespread flooding which devastated our city last year did not stop the council from working on your behalf and as a result this helped us to retain our 'two star' rating from the Audit Commission.
All this is a huge leap from the state of play four or five years ago when the council was classed as 'poor' and had no stars.
The recent assessment also drew attention to several council services which have made substantial improvements.
The inspection said the people of Hull now have better housing services and that they now live in a city with lower crime and better road safety.
The assessment also praised the council's services for children and young people, adult social care, and our record on waste management.
I must add that the progress we are making is extremely encouraging for the whole city and is an achievement that Hull people can feel proud of.
It is the result of a team effort between the council and its partners including Hull Teaching Primary Care Trust, Humberside Police, and the ordinary men and women in our city who are working to make Hull a better place to live and work.
We have travelled a long way together but there is, of course, much more still to do and many more goals to achieve, as we move towards becoming an excellent council.

Cllr Carl Minns
Leader, Hull City Council