CITY council leader Steve Brady says he does not want politics to derail Hull's year as the UK City of Culture 2017.
Opposition councillors at the Guildhall have continued to question a decision to buy the historic Pacific Exchange office in High Street and then agree a nominal rent for the new Culture Company to occupy it.
But speaking at an event marking the first anniversary of Hull's winning the bid, Cllr Brady said he was determined to allow the company as much freedom as possible to get on with delivering a successful programme for 2017.
"I do not want to see any political interference in what the City of Culture Company is doing," he said.
"If there has to be, I think it should be minimal at the most."
Cllr Brady said he was confident chief executive Martin Green and chairman Rosie Millard would put together a world-class team.
"I am delighted Martin and Rosie are here working with us," he said.
"In a world where there is a lot of doom and gloom, arts and culture are there to inspire people and bring a light into our lives.
"That's why we went for the City of Culture bid in the first place."
The council has two representatives on the new-look company board in the shape of cabinet members Steven Bayes and Terry Geraghty.
It has also agreed to provide financial and administrative support for the company until it is fully up and running in the new year.
Speaking at the same event, Mr Green said his senior management team would be in place by January with two executive producer appoints expected to be confirmed in the next few days.
"We know who they are, they have agreed to join us, it's just a question of signing off the contracts," he said.
"They will be our Barnum and Bailey, helping us to deliver some fantastic art and helping draw together everyone who wants to be part of 2017."
Mr Green said Hull was about a year ahead of where Derry was in its preparations three years before becoming UK City of Culture 2013.
"That gives us a great breathing space to allow us to think about what we are going to do and how we are going to do it," he said.
Despite only being in the job for six weeks, Mr Green said he already regarded Cllr Brady as a "close friend" and said he was "bowled over" by the support being given by the council.
He also maintained the focus of 2017 would be on Hull.
"It's what it says in the title – it's about the city, but that doesn't mean we will not be working with other places, both here and internationally," he said.
Is Government doing enough?ON THE day Hull City Council leader Steve Brady talked about keeping the UK City of Culture 2017 plans free from politics, Hull North MP Diana Johnson took the opposite stance.
She marked the first anniversary of Hull's winning bid by questioning whether the Government was doing enough to ensure 2017 would be a success.
Speaking in Business Questions to Leader of the House of Commons William Hague, she said: "As a fellow Yorkshire MP, I know the leader will be aware it is a year ago today that Hull was announced as UK City of Culture for 2017.
"So can we please now have a debate about whether there's enough urgency and joined-up thinking across Whitehall to ensure this national status for Hull is being used as an opportunity to get national arts, culture and sports events to Hull?"
The former culture minister Maria MIller, who announced Hull's winning bid, resigned in April after a row over her expenses.
Her successor Sajid Javid has yet to visit Hull.
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