Youth Council will engage directly with city’s policymakers.
A new motion has been passed by Milton Keynes City Council that will enable the city’s youth council to engage more directly on decisions affecting young people in the area.
The motion, which was proposed by MK’s Liberal Democrats, means Youth Councillors from Milton Keynes Youth Council (MKYC), including the Youth Mayor and Deputy Youth Mayor, will be able to ask questions at Full Council and Cabinet meetings – further empowering young people in local democracy.
The Lib Dem Councillors called for dedicated time for Youth Council members to engage with Cabinet Members last week. While public questions are already received at both Full Council and Cabinet meetings, there had previously been no specific provision for the newly elected Youth Council to participate in these discussions.
The motion, which was passed unanimously also urged the council to explore ways Youth Councillors’ views can be embedded in policy development. The motion also renewed the call for the Government to lower the voting age to 16 in its forthcoming elections bill this spring.
“We brought this motion to Council after listening to the thoughts and experiences of MK Youth Council,” said Councillor Jane Carr, Leader of Milton Keynes Liberal Democrats.
“Our Youth Councillors are not only ambassadors for the Council, but also for Milton Keynes as a whole. It’s only right they’re involved in shaping the city’s future, and I’m pleased they will now have a platform to do just that.”
“As Milton Keynes moves towards its plans for 2050, today’s young people will inherit the city we are developing,” added Councillor Sophie Bell, Shadow Cabinet Member for Young People.
“Even as one of the youngest councillors on the City Council, my experiences as a teenager are already very different from their experiences today. It’s vital we give them a voice in meetings so we can create policies that truly benefit them.”
“A massive thank you to Councillor Carr for bringing this motion forward, and to everyone who has supported us,” said Milton Keynes Youth Mayor, Maggie Beckett (pictured).
“Young people care about politics, just not in the party-political sense we are used to. They campaign, protest and rally behind the causes they support, but often feel that standing up in a council chamber is an unreachable goal. The fact that 94 young people with some as young as 11 stood as candidates for this year’s Youth Council elections demonstrates just how willing they are to take on this responsibility.”
