Press Releases
Ealing makes politics child’s play (PR 1298)
Question time for teenagers and a mock Council meeting are just some of the activities on offer this autumn to encourage Ealing’s young residents to take an interest in local decision-making.
Ealing Council is putting on the fun-packed programme to mark this year’s Local Democracy Week from 13-17 October.
On 15 October children from North Primary School in Southall will get the chance to find out first hand what it is like to be a politician when they take part in a mock council meeting. Youngsters will play the part of chief executive, leader and councillors and will vote to make decisions. They’ll also have refreshments in the Mayor’s Parlour and get a guided tour of the Town Hall.
And children from primary schools right across the borough have been given the chance to become Mayor for the day by sending in their poems, prose and pictures showing how they think the Council should be run. The lucky child, who will be announced during the week, will receive a prize and get to wear ceremonial robes while shadowing Mayor of Ealing Ian Green on his official duties.
Another highlight will be a young persons’ version of question time, hosted by BBC London TV reporter Karl Mercer on 15 October. Local politicians will face a grilling on current affairs and local issues from dozens of teenagers at the event at Thames Valley University.
Other activities include political “speed dating” on 17 October to give young people a chance to decide who is their favourite local councillor, and interactive computer games to raise awareness about local democracy.
In November the Council will also be holding a recruitment event for would-be politicians to encourage people to stand as councillors in the 2010 local elections. There will also be an opportunity for people to find out about other opportunities to get more involved in their community, such as becoming magistrates, school governors or special constables.
Chief Executive, Darra Singh, said: “I’m really pleased that we have such a packed programme of events for local democracy week. People fought long and hard to win the right to vote for all adults, so it’s a great shame that many people take democracy for granted. We want to encourage residents to get involved in decisions that affect them and it’s particularly important to get children and teenagers who will be the voters of tomorrow to take an interest.”