Agenda item

Report of the Director - Neighbourhoods

The Service Manager Corporate Services presented the report of the Director Neighbourhoods in relation to the Establishment of a Youth Council. She noted that this proposal was originally submitted as a Motion to Full Council by Councillor Jones which resulted in this scrutiny item today.

The Service Manager Corporate Services explained that Rushcliffe had a fledgling Youth Forum supported by the Youth Services Team at Nottinghamshire County Council.

The Youth Services Officer explained that the Youth Services Team supported Youth Councils across Nottinghamshire’s seven districts. She said that Gedling Borough Council and Bassetlaw District Councils also supported their Youth Councils by organising logistics such as travel and transport and meeting facilities.

The Youth Services Officer said that Nottinghamshire County Council paid to be a member of the British Youth Council which enabled it to nominate Youth Members of Parliament. Elections for the Youth Members of Parliament took place every two years for nominees aged between 11 and 18 years of age. The Youth Members of Parliament chaired the District Youth Council meetings and attended the six yearly British Youth Council meetings, along with any additional meetings for specific campaigns and key interests such as in relation to the cost of living and the environment.

The Service Manager Corporate Services said that research had highlighted that Rushcliffe had a Youth Forum in place which operated as a Youth Council and which was chaired by the Member of Youth Parliament for Rushcliffe. This Youth Forum was supported by Nottinghamshire County Council Youth Services Team.

The Service Manager Corporate Services said that it had been difficult to engage young people and schools following the pandemic and due to its remit, the County Council was better placed to engage with them than the Borough. She added that whilst many primary and secondary schools had school councils these were often more inwardly focused on school life. Findings suggested that introducing a separate and additional Youth Council for Rushcliffe would be in competition with the existing Youth Forum and would not benefit from the support of the Youth Services Team or the Youth Parliament for Rushcliffe.

The Service Manager Corporate Services said that the proposal was for Rushcliffe Borough Council to support the existing Youth Forum, by offering a venue for them to use and through providing officer assistance and knowledge, with potential for Portfolio Holder and Councillor attendance and support in providing guidance and insight. The Council could assist the Youth Forum in enhancing its online presence and promote it through the Council’s media channels where appropriate. The Council could also support holding a Young People’s Summit to promote involvement in the Youth Forum and encourage engagement and discussion of topics of importance to young people.

Councillor Jones asked about the successful model in Gedling and Bassetlaw. The Service Manager Corporate Services confirmed that Rushcliffe Borough Council was proposing to use the same terms of reference and to mirror the model that they used.

Councillor Jones referred to the Member of Youth Parliament for Rushcliffe and noted that he and the members of the Youth Forum were all from the same school and the same year, and thought that having members from a range of years would bring some continuity.

Members of the Group expressed surprise at the lack of interest from pupils and the lack of response from local schools and expressed concern about how to invite interest. The Group asked how the existing Youth Forum came into existence and whether this could be replicated to harness involvement. It was acknowledged that covid-19 had had an impact on youth involvement.

Councillor Murray asked whether there were occasions where Head Teachers from local schools came together and whether this provided an opportunity for collective discussion about the Youth Forum.

The Service Manager Corporate Services said that the aim of a Young Persons Summit would be to bring young people of different ages and from different schools together to engage with them and to encourage interest and she would contact Nottinghamshire County Council for information about possible Head Teacher group meetings.

It was RESOLVED that Communities Scrutiny Group:

a)    Considered the information about youth councils in the report and provided by officers at the meeting

b)    Recommended to Cabinet that the Borough Council supported the existing Rushcliffe Youth Forum for the next two years to help expand membership, increase awareness and increase opportunities for collaboration.