Motion submitted by Councillor Williams
Background:
As part of Eastbourne Alive, the wraparound programme of the Turner Prize in Eastbourne, the Eastbourne Alive team has collaborated with East Sussex College and its students to co-create a Town Manifesto, giving voice to the young people in our community. Following an open dialogue with Councillor Williams and Councillor Holt at the Town Hall, the insights gathered from young people highlighted their priorities in areas that included accessibility, inclusivity, safety, transport, creativity, wellbeing, and economy. Recognising the invaluable perspectives offered, this motion seeks to formalise a process where the local authority actively listens, reflects, and acts on youth voice, emphasising its significance in decision-making processes affecting both the present and future of our younger residents.
“Motion:
The Council will adopt a new and co-created approach to local democracy by seeking to:
Connect with Young People:
To encourage all local Councillors to connect with existing youth structures and seek to provide a platform for young people to offer an input on policies and participate in discussions on local issues.
To offer an annual open forum at the Town Hall hosted by Councillors, allowing young people to express their views to elected members on matters important to them.
Promote Youth-Friendly Spaces:
To actively promote youth-friendly spaces and events where young people can express their ideas, concerns, and aspirations for the community.
Collaboration:
For the relevant Cabinet Members and members appointed by Full Council to hold a ‘youth brief’, to seek to collaborate with local schools, youth and community groups to encourage young people to be consulted and involved in decision-making processes and civic activities.
Promote Street Art and Young Artists:
To promote street art, murals, and showcasing the talent of young artists, reflecting the desire of young people to see themselves reflected in the town through ‘colour’ and life.
Support Young Artists Market:
To support the Youth Market and ensure it provides creative opportunities to showcase young people's talent, fostering town-wide pride in our youth.”
Minutes:
Councillor Williams moved and Councillor Holt seconded the motion as set out on the agenda.
Councillor di Cara and Councillor Lamb seconded an amendment as below:
·
To amend the initial statement and delete
the following words: ‘The Council will: adopt a new and
co-created approach to local democracy by seeking
to:’
·
To amend the first sentence under the
‘Connect with Young People’ to add reference to the
East Sussex Youth Cabinet: “To encourage all local
Councillors to connect with existing youth structures and
seek such as the East Sussex
Youth Cabinet to provide a
platform for young people to offer an input on policies and
participate in discussions on local issues.”
·
To amend the first sentence under
‘Collaboration’ to add reference to the East Sussex
Youth Cabinet: “For the relevant Cabinet Members and members
appointed by Full Council to hold a ‘youth brief’,
to seek to engage with
the East Sussex Youth Cabinet who
collaborate with local schools, youth and community groups to
encourage young people to be consulted and involved in
decision-making processes and civic activities.
In proposing the motion, Councillor Williams, welcomed students from the East Sussex College to the meeting, she explained the work with students which had led to the motion, and the importance of co-creation. She advised that she was happy to accept the reference to East Sussex Youth Cabinet in the amendment to the motion but could not accept the deletion of the first sentence or to limiting the work to just the Youth Cabinet. Councillor Holt as seconder confirmed the acceptance of the change to the motion to include reference to the East Sussex Youth Cabinet.
The motion was debated across the Council and engagement with young people was supported. In the course of the discussion, Councillor Goodyear as a trustee of Leaf Hall, offered its use to young people’s events and meetings, and Councillor Ewbank offered the youth cabinet the opportunity to join the future leaders group run by the Chamber of Commerce.
The amendment was put to a vote and was lost (7 votes for, 17 against).
The original motion as amended to include reference to the youth cabinet, was put to a vote and carried.
RESOLVED (unanimously):
The Council will adopt a new and co-created approach to local democracy by seeking to:
Connect with Young People:
To encourage all local Councillors to connect with existing youth structures, such as the East Sussex Youth Cabinet, to provide a platform for young people to offer an input on policies and participate in discussions on local issues.
To offer an annual open forum at the Town Hall hosted by Councillors, allowing young people to express their views to elected members on matters important to them.
Promote Youth-Friendly Spaces:
To actively promote youth-friendly spaces and events where young people can express their ideas, concerns, and aspirations for the community.
Collaboration:
For the relevant Cabinet Members and members appointed by Full Council to hold a ‘youth brief’, to seek to engage with the East Sussex Youth Cabinet, who collaborate with local schools, youth and community groups to encourage young people to be consulted and involved in decision-making processes and civic activities.
Promote Street Art and Young Artists:
To promote street art, murals, and showcasing the talent of young artists, reflecting the desire of young people to see themselves reflected in the town through ‘colour’ and life.
Support Young Artists Market:
To support the Youth Market and ensure it provides creative opportunities to showcase young people's talent, fostering town-wide pride in our youth.