CITY council leader Steve Brady has called on people unhappy with funding cuts to turn the heat on the Government instead of the authority.
His plea came after union members at the authority emphatically rejected proposed changes to staff terms and conditions, including reducing overtime payments and cutting mileage allowances.
Union activists lobbied a meeting of the ruling Labour group at the weekend where councillors were briefed on the latest developments in protracted talks between the two sides.
A further briefing was given to cabinet members behind closed doors yesterday.
The council says it could save about £1.4m a year if staff agree to the changes.
Councillor Brady said: "We need a sense of realism here.
"Yes, we are doing everything possible to protect jobs and services but we can't do the impossible.
"Eighty five per cent of our budget comes from central government. When 40 per cent of that gets taken off you, difficult decisions have to be made.
"The greatest strain from all these cuts has been in the North where councils like Hull with far greater levels of deprivation have taken three or four times the financial hit of councils in the south.
"I think it's time for the Government to take a fresh look at what they are doing to cities like Hull.
"It's absolutely scandalous that local government has been hit in this way."
The authority is facing having to make £48m worth of savings over the next two years after seeing huge reductions in government funding.
Cllr Brady said: "A big issue for me is that while we have had 40 per cent of our income taken away, there are all sorts of restrictions on councils if they want to raise extra revenue themselves.
"We are not allowed to increase council tax by more than 1.9 per cent yet gas, water, electricity and train companies can push through huge price rises without anyone doing a thing about it.
"If we wanted to go beyond 1.9 per cent, we would have to have a referendum and that outcome would only last one year before we would have to do it all again the following year.
"I believe that is unfair to councils and I would urge people to make their feelings known to their MPs ahead of a debate coming up in parliament on local government.
"That's the time people need to be briefed about what is happening in Hull."
Yesterday's cabinet also confirmed support for the creation of a new council-owned leisure company.
If confirmed, it would take the cost of running venues ranging from Hull New Theatre and Hull City Hall to leisure centres and parks off the council's books.
But Andrew Reed, vice-president of the Hull Trades Union Council, said: "We fully support the staff at the council who are fighting against these cuts to their terms and conditions.
"It's a disgrace that Labour councillors who are former union officials are even thinking of attacking their own workers like this."
