Warwickshire News Mine

Warwickshire schools will be battling it out in a series of schools debates around the county, giving young people the opportunity to make their views heard loud and clear on hot topics such as recycling and reducing the voting age to 16.

The first of this year’s school debates will kick off on 1st October in Leamington Town Hall, followed by events in Stratford, Atherstone and Rugby. The debates have been organised by Warwickshire County Council and the county’s borough and district councils.

Not Simon Cowell or Dannii Minogue, but a panel of judges made up of local Councillors will decide which school has demonstrated the winning ‘X factor’ in each debate!

The star school from each local debate will then go on to take part in a grand finale at Warwick’s Shire Hall on Thursday 18th October, where they will try to reach their ultimate goal of being crowned Warwickshire’s school debating champions for 2007. 

The grand finale will be followed by a ‘Question Time’ session, giving an audience of young people the chance to grill local politicians including Mike Natrass MEP (West Midlands), Jeremy Wright MP (Rugby & Kenilworth), Warwickshire’s Members of the Youth Parliament and Warwickshire County Councillors, Leader Cllr Alan Farnell (Nuneaton Weddington), Cllr Izzi Seccombe (Stour & The Vale), Cllr Tim Naylor (Leamington Willes) and Cllr Jill Dill-Russell (Stratford Avenue & New Town).

Councillor Alan Farnell, Leader of Warwickshire County Council, said: “This year’s Local Democracy Campaign is all about taking part and taking power and we are actively encouraging young people to do just that in these debates.

"It is about getting young people to recognise the impact local politics has on their daily lives and encouraging them to get involved in debates about issues that affect them as individuals. I’m delighted to be involved and look forward to hearing some interesting arguments!”

Matilda Lomas, a Member of the Youth Parliament (MYP) for Warwickshire, will be joined by fellow MYPs Ellen Slack and James Handy on the panel at the schools debate grand finale.

She said: “The schools debates are the ideal opportunity for young people to get involved in politics in Warwickshire. Young people can’t avoid local politics. Whether they want a skate park in their local park, that’s politics, or cheaper transport for young people, that’s politics. It’s really important for young people to get involved in politics as it does come into everything.” 

The schools debates will be taking place at the following places and times:

Warwick district event:
Leamington Town Hall, Monday 1st October, 2pm
Myton School - A Specialist Science College vs. Kenilworth School and Sports College

Stratford on Avon district event:
Elizabeth House, Stratford upon Avon, Monday 8th October, 4pm
King Edward VI School vs. Stratford upon Avon High School - A Maths and Computing Specialist College vs. Kineton High School - A Specialist Sports College.

North Warwickshire borough event:
Coleshill Town Hall, Wednesday 10th October, 4pm
Hartshill School vs. The Coleshill School - A Maths and Computing College vs. Polesworth International Language College

Rugby borough event:
Rugby Town Hall, Thursday 11th October, 4.30pm
Lawrence Sheriff School vs. Rugby High School vs. The Avon Valley School and Performing Arts College. 

Warwickshire County Council, in partnership with the county’s borough and district councils, will also be launching a number of political speed dating events, a young journalist competition and regular weblogs on the Warwickshire County Council website, http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/localdemocracy, as part of this year’s Local Democracy Campaign – more details to follow soon.

Link to WCC