Young South Cambridgeshire politicians urge involvement
Youth councillors join forces with Cllr Ray Manning, leader of South Cambridgeshire District Council, and council officers Tracy Mann and Alex Colyer at the launch
Budding young politicians are calling for more people in South Cambridgeshire to get involved in the decisions that affect them after the launch of the district’s new youth council.
The 15-strong group of 13 to 18 years olds includes Jessican Adis from Duxford, the youth councillor specialising in youth affairs and transport and facilities.
They put themselves forward to represent the views of young people in the district after South Cambridgeshire District Council (SCDC) announced plans for a youth council to further improve how young people can have a say on the decisions that matter to them most.
At the launch event on January 23, SCDC leaders welcomed the new youth councillors and said they would be an asset to help make the best possible decisions for everyone in the district as young people less frequently get involved in consultations and share their views.
The youth councillors explained to existing councillors at the event that they had already been involved in projects from the secondary school for Northstowe to how to improve health and wellbeing.
Thomas Mayer, Youth Councillor and chair of South Cambridgeshire Youth Council, said: “All the youth councillors are looking forward to tackling the issues that affect young people most, working with the existing councillors to make sure our views are heard and promoting what young people have to say.
“We are aiming to get other young people involved as well and would like anyone 18 or under to get in touch with us through our Facebook page.
“We are very committed to making sure the residents of the future in South Cambridgeshire shape how the area looks.”
The Youth Council has also called on parish councils to ask them to support them when they are looking at how to provide any services to young people in their village.
Cllr Ray Manning, leader of SCDC, said: “We have already made efforts to improve the way we engage with young people but the new Youth Council could see this move up a number of gears.
“The great thing about the Youth Council is the young people themselves have decided how to divide the work and make themselves heard.
“We will embrace the new asset as who better to advise on what is best for younger residents than the young people themselves.”
The other 14 Youth Councillors will carry out the following roles:
Samuel Bailey – yCllr specialist for Education – Oakington
Bella Forster-Lewis – yCllr specialist for Education – Thriplow
Dale Hargrove – yCllr specialist for Northstowe and Scrutiny – Longstanton
Callum Hatch – yCllr specialist for Planning and Housing – Longstanton
Helena Keys – yCllr specialist for the Environment and Sustainability – Fulbourn
Conrad Leaton Gray – Vice Chair and yCllr for Public Relations – Great Shelford
Charlotte Lomas – yCllr Director of Communications – Lt Wilbraham
Isabella Marshall – yCllr specialist for Policy and Finance – Cottenham
Thomas Mayer – yCllr – Chair of Youth Council – Swavesey
Samantha Menezes – yCllr specialist for Facilities and Transport – Cambourne
Lauren Murphy – yCllr specialist for Youth Affairs – Sport and Culture – Great Shelford
Louis Pascuzzi – yCllr specialist for Health and Wellbeing – Stapleford
Nathan Samuel – yCllr specialist for Scrutiny – Landbeach
Gemma Steele – yCllr specialist for general Youth Affairs – Waterbeach
For all the latest news see Thursday’s (February 28) Echo.
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Weather for Haverhill
Thursday 23 May 2013
Today
Heavy showers
Temperature: 4 C to 11 C
Wind Speed: 25 mph
Wind direction: North west
Tomorrow
Light rain
Temperature: 5 C to 8 C
Wind Speed: 20 mph
Wind direction: South west
