Fears council will be a joke after TV show

From the Lancashire Evening Telegraph, first published Tuesday 19th Aug 2003.

COUNCIL workers are set to become TV stars in a warts-and-all documentary called Are You Being Serviced?

Binmen, leisure workers and teachers will go head-to-head with EastEnders in the ratings war when the series is broadcast.

While links between the new fly-on-the-wall show and 70s cult comedy Are You Being Served? are supposed to begin and end with the twist on the title, opposition councillors fear Blackburn with Darwen Council could end up being the butt of jokes across the nation - just like John Inman and Co!

TV company Granada has been given permission by the authority's chief executive to follow certain departments over the next three months to gain an insight into how the council works.

Council leader Sir Bill Taylor said: "This is a great opportunity for us to show the positive impact front-line public sector employees have on the lives of individual citizens."

But Lib Dem councillor Paul Browne said: "It will make us a laughing stock. Look at the title. It either sounds very similar to the camp comedy from the 70s -- or a dodgy film.

"I think it will end up showing the council in a poor light. The BBC did a programme called Vox Pop in Darwen in the 1980s and that portrayed us all in a bad light. We weren't even consulted. It is downhill all the way."

The council's registrars' department -- which deals with births, marriages and deaths -- will be filmed, along with schools, early years services and parts of social services including adoption.

Council-run summer playschemes have also had cameras trained on them, and crews will also film what goes on behind the scenes at King George's Hall.

They will also trail the borough's binmen as they grapple with the new fortnightly collection services imposed on parts of the borough so that recycled waste is picked up one week, and non-recyclables the next.

Conservative leader Colin Rigby said: "It could be good, but also be bad. It is also important that it is politically neutral, and has opinions from all sides."

A spokesman for Granada said: "The programme is expected to broadcast on October 16, and will probably be shown in several of the regions of the country. It is a prime slot."

Town served up to a treat!

From the Lancashire Evening Telegraph, first published Friday 21st Nov 2003.

A TV documentary which followed the fortunes of council workers has been hailed as a success -- by the council bosses and residents who watched it.

The closing episode of Granada's Are You Being Serviced? saw series favourites The Jetting Crew -- who unblock the borough's drains -- receiving a council award and a Blackburn couple marrying for the third time. DANNY BRIERLEY reports. . .

THE leader of Blackburn with Darwen Council, Sir Bill Taylor, and chief executive Phil Watson, said the success of Granada's Are You Being Serviced? -- narrated by Kevin Kennedy, formerly Coronation Street's Curly Watts -- vindicated the decision to allow cameras behind the scenes.

When Blackburn with Darwen announced it was to allow a Granada television crew to follow and film its staff the leader of the Liberal Democrat group at the town hall said it would make the council a laughing stock.

But Coun Paul Browne today admitted he may have got it wrong. He added: "I'm going to reserve making a full judgement but I must admit that I am not all that sure about what I said before the show was broadcast. Some of it has been good and I think I would give the whole thing about eight out of 10."

Despite being pitched against the BBC's EastEnders the show's producers said they were pleased with the audience figures which were thought to be close to one million, despite the series of six shows only being screened in the Granada area.

Mr Watson said: "Are You Being Serviced? has been excellent in terms of raising the profile of the council amongst our citizens and in particular recognising the many and varied services we provide.

"I know our staff are being recognised in the streets as they go about their daily business -- particularly The Jetting Crew Peter and Derek, who have become local celebrities.

"That is the good thing about the programme, it has shown staff working on the front line and the valuable contribution they make to the borough.

"We have about 6,500 employees, many of whom influence the lives of local residents on a daily basis. There are always risks in agreeing to programmes like this, but I was determined that local residents should judge us on what we are actually like -- not on some prejudice about how councils perhaps were 30 years ago.

"I have written to thank David Nolan, the producer of the programme for the fair representation of what we do. I know he has also had similar letters from some of our staff who took part."

Coun Taylor said the programme had been a "roaring success". He added: "I think the programme makers have been absolutely reasonable about how councils run.

"Some people were critical of our decision to let the cameras in but this type of documentary are a fact of life now. Some people said we were taking a risk, but we have nothing to hide."

Council's TV 'service' is an ace

From the Lancashire Evening Telegraph, first published Thursday 25th Nov 2004.

A DOCUMENTARY which followed the trials and tribulations of East Lancashire council staff has won a top television award.

The Granada TV docusoap about Blackburn with Darwen Council services followed a variety of staff including refuse collectors, a special school head teacher and pupils and concert hall staff.

TV cameras also captured interviews with the leader of the council and chief executive.

The first series of Are You Being Serviced?, narrated by former Coronation Street actor Kevin Kennedy - Curly Watts - has scooped the best regional programme category in the Royal Television Society North West Awards.

Despite being scheduled at the same time as EastEnders, the programme pulled in 20 per cent of the TV audience, at times reaching nearly half a million viewers.

It was so successful that a second series, Are You Still Being Serviced? has also been broadcast.

Both the council and Granada TV are thrilled with the award and say it shows that council services really can be a popular subject of prime time reality television.

Council chief executive Phil Watson said: "We entered into the first agreement with the television company with some trepidation, knowing we had no editorial control, but the viewing figures speak for themselves".

Leader of the council Kate Hollern said: "We are always keen to encourage external scrutiny of Blackburn with Darwen's performance, and what better or braver way than on prime time TV?"

She added that what really mattered to the council was being viewed as excellent in the minds of locals.

Producer of the series, Granada's David Nolan said: "We thoroughly enjoyed making the documentary and are delighted to have won such a prestigious award".

The Council has also found that reality TV can help to change people's perceptions and improve its public profile.

Members of its citizen's panel were surveyed following the six-week broadcast.

Fifty-five per cent said they watched the first series and 23 per cent reported a better opinion of the staff and 19 per cent an improved overall opinion of the council as a result.

©Lancashire Evening Telegraph