Setting the stage

Month by month, Hull City Council is working with partners across the city to ensure as many people as possible stay in work and in business through the recession.
The credit crunch will not end overnight, and for as long as the downturn goes on, the council will keep up its commitment to boost the local economy.
In this month's Hull in print, on pages 14 and 15, you can read about the latest help for job seekers from agencies such as Jobcentre Plus, City Works, and the Hull Enterprise Partnership.
The services they offer may be of benefit to you or a member of your family.
To stimulate the local economy, the council spent £152 million on goods and services from local suppliers and employers last year.
And we recently became the first council in the north of England to sign a special agreement to consult with small businesses to find ways to help them grow.
A new tax advice service has also been launched at the World Trade Centre Hull and Humber to assist firms who trade overseas, as well as foreign-based companies who want to do business in Hull.
All these measures will keep the economy running in the short term and lay solid foundations for future growth and prosperity in the years ahead.
Investing in the future is vital, and that's why the council is currently heading an initiative called Hull Challenge to improve GCSE results in our secondary schools.
The better educated our young people become, the more they will attract investment and jobs to the city.
You can read more about Hull Challenge on pages 10 and 11.
Meanwhile, I'm sure many local people are delighted to see the long-awaited opening of the new Hull Truck Theatre in Ferensway.
As well as being a fantastic stage for the arts, the venue marks another important phase in the regeneration of the city centre.
And as a stage of regional and national importance, it will gain positive publicity for Hull and attract visitors and their spending power to the city.
Finally, now that spring is upon us I'm sure many of you will be spending time in the garden or allotment.
I hope you recycle your green waste by taking it to one of the household waste recycling centres in the city, as featured on page 26.

Cllr Carl Minns
Leader, Hull City Council