Warwickshire News Mine

After some lively debate Councillor Alan Farnell, Leader of Warwickshire County Council, awarded the title to Hannah and Amelia after they successfully opposed a proposition that ‘local actions to prevent climate change make no difference’.

The grand finale, held at Shire Hall, Warwick, last Thursday (18 October) also featured debating teams who won through their local heats from Kenilworth School and Sports College, Kineton High School, Polesworth International Language College and Rugby High School.

The final debates were followed by a special ‘Question Time’ session when young people had the chance to grill a panel of county politicians including Mike Natrass MEP (West Midlands) and Jeremy Wright MP (Rugby & Kenilworth).

The event – part of this year’s Local Democracy Campaign - was chaired by Dr Eric Wood with Cllr Farnell (Nuneaton Weddington) as timekeeper and a panel of judges including Warwickshire County Councillors Cllr Jill Dill-Russell (Stratford Avenue & New Town), Cllr John Haynes (Bedworth North) and Cllr Izzi Seccombe (Stour & The Vale) and Cllr Tim Naylor (Leamington Willes).

During the competition, Warwickshire schools battled it out in a series of debates around the county, with young people taking the opportunity to make their views heard loud and clear on hot topics such as recycling and reducing the voting age to 16.

The debates, which took place in Leamington, Stratford, Atherstone and Rugby, were organised by Warwickshire County Council and the county’s borough and district councils.

Cllr Alan Farnell, Leader of Warwickshire County Council, said: “This year’s Local Democracy Campaign is all about taking part and taking power and we have actively encouraged 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 heard some interesting arguments!”

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

She said: “The schools debates proved to be an 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.”

Warwickshire County Council, in partnership with the county’s borough and district councils, are also running 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.

Link to WCC