Hull City Council 2006 - Changing Or Caging Us? By Margaret Ryan

Hull City Council is changing. Having recently improved its rating infinity percent -from zero stars to one star - a new council seems to be evolving. Into what, you may ask? An aggressive political powerhouse to empower the people? Or an experiment of existential dustbin policy? Whatever this nameless Hullian perceives the council's policies to be, recent history says one thing is certain about Hull City Council. Drastic change is needed.

Consistently derided, Hull was considered the most inept council in both the press and the pubs. Stories of bullying and a lack of professionalism circulated - remember the one about Labour councillors shredding useful documents in spite? And, in the words of the policeman handling my vandalised bike case two years back, 'Blunderside Police Force can only apologise.' Don't let the recap on these failings fool you into thinking this article is written to lambast Hull City Council. Instead you must see these failings as the true context in which you need to read the following marketing campaign - Recycle half your rubbish or your council services will suffer.

This council isn't out to make friends. This council has its backs to the proverbial wall. In the shower. And the soap's fallen down the plug hole. Such a campaign states a truism - recycling saves money. And its emphasis is so clearly on the people of Hull, with a finger pointing belligerence. Contrast this to Essex County Council's (four star rating) marketing campaign of Recycle and you could win cash!

Before I stop to consider how many people could respond to this, let me rapidly draw your attention to the Council's recent response to a spate of scally bin-arsonists: a crisp £100 fine for bins left out between 7.30pm and 7.00am on collection days. This contentious consequence for a crucial conundrum - there is one bin fire a day in Hull, several of which result in house fires each year - is easy to criticise. A bin arsonist can strike anytime; some residents invariably leave the house before 7:00am; and, in the words of my unnamed neighbour :

"My bin goes missing for weeks at a time when someone else wishes to use it. Of course I do not expect to have a fine equalling my weekly take-home wage. So despite the fact that it would be legal to fine me for someone else stealing my bin and someone else setting fire to it, I wouldn't think that's fair." As my neighbour points out, we live in a city that is distinctly unfair. Well, my friendly neighbour, life is unfair.

Luckily, sometimes it's unfair in your favour. So while Hull's high-profile bad publicity has ensured it receives substantial investments, shall we hope that Hull City Council has had a substantial investment in principles? Let's look back on these times in ten years, and ask these questions. Were these billboards and people-centred policies the first signs of Hull City Council dynamically changing the culture of Hull? Or had Margaret Ryan watched too much 24 and David Palmer?

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