Youth Council proposals voted down due to Daventry council’s impending abolition

Labour councillor Aiden Ramsey pleaded for members of Daventry District Council to back the plans. But although councillors liked the idea, they felt it would be better to establish when a new unitary authority replaces the district council in 2021 as part of the reorganisation of local government.

Speaking at full council last week (Wednesday May 15), Councillor Ramsey said the youth council would ‘offer young people in the district better opportunities to discuss the changes they would like to see in society’.

The youth council would have been open to all residents aged 11 to 18, and would elect representatives able to attend all DDC public meetings – with the exception of planning and licensing – with the same speaking rights as members but without voting rights.

There are already 620 youth councils operating in the UK, but Daventry won’t be one of them after the motion was rejected. It was agreed however to bring the idea to an overview and scrutiny committee to look at in more detail ahead of work on the unitaries.

Councillor Alan Hills said: “I agree with the spirit of this motion, but the timing is making me vote against this. This idea should be submitted to the shadow body so that there is a youth council for the new unitary authority.”

And Councillor Richard Auger added: “I love it, and it’s exactly what we should be doing. But I agree with what’s been said about the timing. This is something that you should look at doing for the unitary, because you’re a great example of young people getting involved with politics.”