Wycombe District to get new youth council

Sadia Hussain and Cllr David Carroll

A youth council to give young people who live in the Wycombe District a new voice has been set up by Wycombe District Council and Wycombe Youth Action.

Every secondary, higher or further education centre in the Wycombe District will be able to have a representative aged between 11 and 21 on the new youth council. In the new academic year students from participating institutions will be able to put themselves forward for election within their school or college.

The youth council expected to hold its first meeting in October or November 2017 and will meet six times a year. Each meeting will be held in one of the District’s main towns (High Wycombe, Marlow and Princes Risborough) on a rotation basis.

Wycombe District Council’s Cabinet Member for Youth and External Partnerships Cllr David Carroll said: ‘As well as delivering day to day services, the council has to make long term plans for the future which affect everyone.

The decisions we make today will have a direct effect on the young people who live in Wycombe District tomorrow and potentially for many years to come.

A lot of young people have never had any direct contact with the council, so the youth council, in partnership with Wycombe Youth Action, is one way we listen to what they have to say on the issues that matter most to them.‘

Youth council members will have a direct channel to and regular contact with Cllr Carroll who will also attend meetings and listen to their discussions.

Sadia Hussain, General Manager of Wycombe Youth Action, said: ‘We are really excited about this partnership with Wycombe District Council and are looking forward to empowering young people and helping them understand why it is important to be involved in their community and politics.‘

Wycombe Youth Action will be in contact with schools and education centres in the coming weeks to explain how they can help pupils get involved in the new school year. A toolkit and training will also be made available to teachers.