Archived press release

Date Published: 16/11/06

Two Aylesbury Vale district councillors are going back to school this week to encourage young people to take an interest in local politics. Councillor John Cartwright, Leader of AVDC, and Councillor Netta Glover, Vice Chairman of the Council, are...

Two Aylesbury Vale district councillors are going back to school this week to encourage young people to take an interest in local politics.

Councillor John Cartwright, Leader of AVDC, and Councillor Netta Glover, Vice Chairman of the Council, are going to Cottesloe School in Wing on 17 November to talk to sixth form students and find out what is important to them.

During the visit, Councillors Cartwright and Glover will be joining the school debating society and discussing issues that are of concern to young people in the district. The councillors will also be talking to sixth formers studying law who attended a recent cabinet meeting at AVDC and finding out what they learnt about the work of the council during Local Democracy Week.

AVDC arranged for students from Cottesloe School and The Grange School in Aylesbury to meet Councillor Cartwright and other cabinet members as part of Local Democracy Week, a nationally-run initiative which aims to help young people become more interested and involved in local politics. The students had the chance to question the councillors about their work before watching a cabinet meeting in progress.

Councillor Cartwright is hoping to get young people more involved in decision making and planning at a local level. “It is very important for young people to learn about citizenship and encourage them to take an interest in the community,” he said. “Through visiting schools and inviting young people to come to events we can encourage youngsters to participate more in local democracy. Councillor Glover and I look forward to some lively and informative discussions and hope to do something similar next year.”

Chris Jones, Head of Law at Cottesloe School, said: “It is essential for the council to be in touch with young people as they are tomorrow’s voters. Young people need to know how the council works and what their constraints are but equally the council needs to know what the youth of Aylesbury Vale want.”