Plan to set up more youth parish councils
A PIONEERING scheme which saw the first ever youth parish council set up in East Staffordshire could be rolled out to other parts of the borough.
Diane Needham, speaking on behalf of Staffordshire County Council youth services, attended a meeting of Brizlincote Parish Council to suggest the possible formation of a youth parish council in the ward and also in Stapenhill.
This comes following the success of Winshill Youth Parish Council which was the brainchild of Winshill Parish Council in conjunction with partners such as Trent and Dove Housing and East Staffordshire Borough Council and started life in January last year.
She said: “As seen with the successful pilot in Winshill, the idea of a youth parish council can work and can be used as a great tool for bringing young people together.
“From when they start secondary to school to the sixth form, all the years could benefit but to get them from the start would be the best as the children would then grow up as part of the council.
“As shown with Winshill it can also create election fever and provides education and gets youngsters voting and understanding about what it is all about.
“This not only involves them in local issues but also makes them politically aware and unafraid of voting when they reach the age of 18.”
Bernard Peters, ward councillor for Brizlincote on East Staffordshire Borough Councillor, added: “As well as my role as a councillor, I am also a governor at Paulet and I can say that the sixth form are looking for new challenges like this all the while.
“They are focused on taking the school forward and I personally hope to see a youth parish council here in Brizlincote in the future.
“People have to remember it’s about the next generation of people — they may not go on to become parish councillors but this kind of scheme is something that should be thought about and considered very carefully.”
