Young councillors get a taste of civic life

Eight pupils from Mundella School were given an insight into the way Shepway Council works and makes decision when they visited the Civic Centre.
The youngsters, who are all members of their school council, were greeted by Council Chairman Susan Carey who gave them the chance to vote for the colour of the ribbons to wear with her chain of office during their visit.
While in the chairman's parlour, each of the young visitors held the 18 carat gold chain of office and were told about the history and significance of the insignia.
The junior councillors then went to the council chamber and listened to a presentation by Jeremy Chambers, the Monitoring Officer, on what the council does and how it makes decisions.
"Amazingly, at the end of this there were still a number of junior councillors keen to become Shepway councillors one day," said Cllr Carey.
"Mundella School is doing a great job in teaching its pupils about local government and the children's excitement and enthusiasm certainly brightened my day.
"We finished the visit with photographs and, if one day, one of these junior councillors is voted onto Shepway council it will be a photo to rival the one taken of former Prime Minister Harold Wilson outside 10 Downing Street when he was a child."