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Young commissioners want to make Kirk Michael a better place

Wed, 16 Jan 2019

Keen to make their village a better place, primary school children in Kirk Michael are having a direct influence on local politics.

‘Young Michael Commissioners’ is an initiative that’s been running for the last three years, where pupils from the age of eight and above have been meeting to have their say on local matters.

The schoolchildren from Michael Primary regularly discuss a range of issues, from reducing plastic use to deciding what play equipment they’d like to see in the park.

Any decisions or views expressed by the budding young politicians are presented at each meeting of Michael Commissioners, who then act on the proposal, or explain why it can’t be done.

One of the local authority’s members is Carole Lillywhite who attends the young commissioners’ meetings.

She says the project is centred on encouraging younger people to play a more active role in civic life, one with demonstrable benefits.

Headteacher of Michael Primary School, Karen Riley, says the village community is a close one, and so it’s vitally important the children feel they have say in what goes on.

Local Democracy Reporter Ewan Gawne attended the latest meeting of the group this week and met some of the commissioners of tomorrow:

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• Young Comissoners