South Holland District Council working on establishing youth council says leader Nick Worth

A new youth council is in the works in South Holland.

Conservative Councillor Nick Worth, leader of South Holland District Council, said the authority is working with democratic services and local schools on the scheme, which he hopes will be up and running from September.

Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, he said it can be a challenge for younger people to get involved in local politics, as many move on from school to focus on jobs or university.

“We can get someone from Spalding College, but often they attend for two or three meetings and then they’ve left school,” said Coun Worth.

“We’re working with the democratic services team to engage with the grammar school and other secondary schools to see if we can get two or three people from each school and ensure a regular turnover of members.”

The leader said he hoped the youth council would “really challenge” the authority on its decisions, similar to how a scrutiny committee operates.

He added that its members could “look at things differently,” particularly with a “fresh pair of eyes”.

South Kesteven District Council has also been encouraging young people to get involved through its own youth council, which allows individuals aged 13 to 19 to influence local policies and decisions.

South Kesteven’s Youth Council has agreed to focus on three key priorities: environment, entrepreneurship, and mental health.