Rising to the challenge

I'm sure everyone will be delighted at the news that young people have achieved Hull's best ever GCSE results.
This summer 37 per cent of pupils who sat their exams achieved five GCSE results at A*-C grades (including maths and English), compared to 29.6 per cent a year ago.
Results like this show we are turning the corner with regard to education in the city. However, there is still further progress to be made and I want to see even greater improvement next year.
Education is one of the main pathways into employment for young people, so the importance of gaining good exam results cannot be stressed enough. But for those people who have already left school and college and are out of work, a new job creation scheme has been launched to help them gain employment.
The 'Grow' bus, which is provided by the Local Work Guarantee Scheme (LWG), is now on the road, visiting public places such as St Stephen's to make it as easy as possible for job seekers to get on board, find out about job vacancies, and arrange interviews.
It's a great idea which has already changed the life of 19-year-old apprentice engineer Harry Stockman – you can read about Harry's story and LWG on pages 16 and 17.
Meanwhile, for those who are struggling to keep up payments on their homes, a new service is available to help them keep a roof over their heads.
The Mortgage Rescue Scheme can help people stave off the threat of repossession by, for example, arranging a loan to householders in return for a share of their home's equity.
I think the scheme can make a big difference and help many local families get through tough times. It can help them regain control of their finances and keep their homes secure.
Finally, I was delighted by the public's response to the Freedom festival and the launch of the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race, held last month.
More than 100,000 people gathered in the city for the events, there was a fabulous atmosphere, and not a hint of trouble. It was a weekend which truly showed Hull at its best.
Have a great month and enjoy your read!

Cllr Carl Minns
Leader, Hull City Council