Manchester Labour can't be bothered to engage with young people (Manchester Liberal Democrats Online)

Manchester Liberal Democrats Online <info@manchester-libdems.org.uk>

Manchester Labour can't be bothered to engage with young people

July 21, 2010 5:33 PM

Chorlton Councillor Victor Chamberlain Wants Manchester's Council to Engage more with Young People

Labour Town Hall Chiefs have threatened to scrap an innovative Group engaging with Young People because they can't find enough Labour Councillors to volunteer. Labour's Mike Carmody, the Chairman of the Children and Young Person's Scrutiny Committee told Tuesday's meeting, (20/7/2010), ""the subgroup has to be 'politically balanced', and if it can't maybe it should be scrapped". He also called engagement with young people "a dead issue".

Chorlton Lib Dem Councillor Victor Chamberlain, who is Manchester's youngest Councillor, said:

"If some Labour Councillors can't be bothered to engage with young people, they should let those of us that will get on with it. I for one think too many of Manchester's children and teenagers feel excluded and as though their views don't matter. This group could make a real difference for them and show that the Council does care and wants to include them."

Lib Dem Children's spokesperson Marc Ramsbottom added:

"Labour Councillors who are refusing to join this group should be ashamed of themselves. This Labour Council thinks it can ignore the views of our younger citizens but I think that is unacceptable. I hope Labour Councillors will reconsider their 'busy schedules' and allow this committee to go ahead."

END

Notes

In the 22 June 2010 meeting of the Children and Young People Overview and Scrutiny (CYPOS) Committee the members agreed to re-establish an Engagement Subgroup to: "maintain and develop the mechanism for engagement, responding to the items raised by children and young people, including giving input to the Executive on decisions effecting young people.

This forms part of a broader programme of engagement work across the Council and Manchester Partnership".

The committee membership should consist of 4 Labour Councillors, 2 Liberal Democrat Councillors and one co-opted member. At the 22 June Meeting the Committee agreed to appoint Cllrs Carmody (Lab), Chamberlain (LD) and Fisher (LD) and Mrs Kennedy as members of the subgroup and ask for further nominations from the Labour group. Following the June meeting, members of the Committee in the Labour group were asked to submit further nominations. One further nomination was received from Cllr Mary Murphy (Lab). There are two vacancies for Labour Members on the Subgroup.

Cllr Victor Chamberlain (21) is a member of the Children and Young People Overview and Scrutiny (CYPOS) Committee and a member of the proposed Engagement Subgroup.