Borough Life Summer 2006
Young people can play a part
Each of the borough’s ten townships has a forum, giving people an opportunity (through forum members) to air their views on local life. Recently each township held an open meeting, inviting residents to view their future plans and have a say on the things that really matter to them. For Borough Life, LINC Youth News reporters Ryan Cant from Standish and Helen Le Caplain from Beech Hill went along to the open forum meeting at the Derby Room in Leigh Library to find out what the township forums offer young people.
Ryan’s view
As a young person, I stuck out like a sore thumb. Perhaps young people are just not interested in politics, or maybe the Leigh forum isn’t doing enough to engage with them. Either way, sat in a room full of older people, I readied myself for what I thought was going to be the longest two hours of my life.
But it turned out that the meeting was quite relaxed and informal - and in writing this article I have not had to hype up the scheme to make it sound interesting. It is a very well intentioned project that could lead to improvements in life for local residents.
The forum has 37 appointed members who are, in the main, either chairs of community groups, local service providers or councillors. The forum members take the views of the people they represent to their six-weekly meetings for discussion.
I expressed the concern that you don’t get many young people talking to councillors and community representatives. It was pointed out that some of the forum members run youth clubs and therefore, indirectly, young people are represented.
While there was a lot of talk about youths being indirectly represented at the meeting, the unelected forum members don’t really directly represent anyone. Maybe it’s just me but if I felt passionately enough about something, I would want to fight for it myself.
Pam Stewart, a volunteer involved with the township, is passionate about improving life in Leigh for everyone, including young people.
”I would be delighted if young people got more involved” she said, “but would they have the confidence to speak at a meeting? We are looking at inviting them to smaller meetings set up to deal with specific issues.”
The forums need to be promoted through schools and more effort needs to be made to encourage young people to get involved. Politics is not just about the government and the economy. It covers everything, from changing the face of your local park to providing more youth activities in your local area. It is clear that the people involved in the Leigh township forum have the best intentions of the area at heart. Sometimes though, if Mohammed will not come to mountain, then the mountain must be prepared to go to Mohammed.
Helen’s view
Leigh township forum - it doesn’t exactly sound like the most exciting thing for a seventeen-year old to attend on a cold, dark, wet Thursday night in March, does it? However, I am pleasantly surprised when I arrive. I enter a light, bright and (thankfully) warm room to be greeted by a number of very friendly people.
Initially, I am confused by the set up, but I soon work it out. This evening is an open township meeting, giving everyone living in the area the opportunity to view the Leigh township plan and a chance to put their views across to members of the local township forum.
The people of Leigh have been invited here tonight to meet other people living in their community, to debate issues and to exchange information. But from a young person’s perspective, I feel a lot of tonight’s debate is futile, as it is not the public who will make the final decisions on the issues being discussed. I think that this forum works best simply as an arena for exchanging information, giving local people a chance to talk with representatives from the council and other public services, such as the police and the fire service.
James Hutton from the local fire service told me he wants young people to visit local fire stations to find out more about their work. This shows how open township forum meetings can provide valuable opportunities for young people and other members of the community simply through the promotion of information.
Despite their limited powers, the township forums can effect change. One example is the recent transformation of Lilford Park. Leigh Township Forum lobbied for an overhaul of the park, as it was an eyesore, full of graffiti and not a suitable area for children to play. Now it is cleaner and greener, with a play area for children and seating for parents and socialising teenagers.
There is one major issue the forums must address if they are to have any real impact. At present, they are not socially representative. Those who attended the Leigh meeting were mainly older, white men and women.
During a period of political disengagement, the forums must attempt to attract people from ethnic minorities and younger people, who contrary to popular belief are interested in important issues and are willing to participate.