Local Democracy Week 2006

The Shepway Youth Forum ambitiously organised an event as part of Local Democracy Week encouraging Young People across the area to 'Have a Voice' and put questions to a panel for the first ever Shepway Young Person's Question Time event.

The event, held at the Hythe Imperial, was hugely successful and attracted over 50 young people from across the district.  Young people had the opportunity to ask questions about the things they feel are important to them to a panel of significant figures from the district, including Cllr Linda Cufley (Leader of the People First Group), Cllr Lynne Beaumont (Leader of the Liberal Democrats), Damian Collins (Prospective Conservative Parliamentary Candidate), Cllr Adrian Cirket (Labour Parish Councillor), Chief Inspector Luke Dodson (Kent Police) and Peter Hobbs (Chief Executive Channel Chamber of Commerce),.  The event was chaired by David East.

The young people put the panel through its paces by asking questions that covered various topics, such as the money spent on the new waste collection service, the lack of, and cost of, sporting facilties in the area, the expansion of Lydd Airport, the cost and availability of transport, the negative association that ASBOs have with young people and, of course, local democracy, including lowering the voting age to 16.

The Shepway Youth Forum was very pleased with the positive outcome of this event and would like to pass on their thanks to everyone involved.

They look forward to organising their next success for Local Democracy Week.