MINUTES OF THE MEETING OF THE YOUTH COUNCIL HELD ON 4 JANUARY 2007
Bishop’s Stortford High School
Bishop’s Stortford College
*
Youth Cllr T Bennett
Youth Cllr Miss H Trantum
*
Youth Cllr J Stapleton
Youth Cllr Miss C Walters
Herts & Essex High School
Hockerill Anglo European College
*
Youth Cllr Miss A Jellis
*
Youth Cllr W Smith (Chairman)
*
Youth Cllr Miss V Greenwood
Youth Cllr Miss H Rowbottom
St Mary’s Catholic School
Birchwood High School
Vacancy
*
Youth Cllr Miss E Newland
Vacancy
*
Youth Cllr G Maskell-Gray
* denotes present
1. APOLOGIES FOR ABSENCE
None.
2. MINUTES OF THE MEETING HELD ON 7 DECEMBER 2006
RESOLVED: that the minutes of the meeting held on 7 December 2006 be confirmed as a correct record of the proceedings and be signed by the Chairman.
3. DISCUSSION WITH RUTH TALBOT FROM VOLUNTARY SERVICE OVERSEAS
Ms Talbot had requested to address the Youth Council in order to highlight the work of Voluntary Service Overseas and in particular a Global Exchange programme which she was supervising in conjunction with Community Service Volunteers. The programme involved a group of 18 volunteers, aged between 18 and 25, from both Kenya and the UK, who would be spending ten weeks in Bishop’s Stortford and the surrounding area and a further 10 weeks in Kenya engaged in voluntary work on local community projects. Primarily, at this stage Ms Talbot was seeking host homes and community placements for the team, but in addition she wished to advise the Youth Council that opportunities would exist for further placements in the Philippines and Mongolia at a later date.
Members were very interested in the project, which they felt would be a fantastic opportunity for gap year students and were happy to take literature back to their schools to advertise the project and to seek host homes for volunteers.
4. DONATION OF SAFETY ALARMS TO SIXTH FORM PUPILS
It had been confirmed that the Bishop’s Stortford Crime Prevention Panel considered that the donation of safety alarms was a good initiative and something that the Police would recommend, however the precise number of female pupils involved had still not been ascertained since numbers were still awaited from St Mary’s School and Bishop’s Stortford College. The Assistant Clerk drew members attention to the fact that £840 from the 2006/07 budget had already been committed towards the cost of the monthly music event held at Rhodes and therefore there would not be enough money available in the budget in the current year to fund the alarms. However payment towards the music event was being paid in instalments and it was understood that only two or three events had taken place. Members requested that Jamie Southwell be invited to attend the next meeting to advise members on the success of the music event and ascertain whether the full £840 set aside was still required.
5. MATTERS RAISED BY YOUTH COUNCILLORS
CCTV
Members were pleased to note from the local press that CCTV cameras had been introduced into the Town.
Change in Smoking Laws
A reporter from the Herts and Essex Observer had requested contact details of the Chairman in order to obtain the Youth Council’s view on the proposed change in the law to raise the legal age to purchase tobacco to 18. Members considered that the change was a very positive step forward in the campaign to prevent children smoking and this coupled with the ban on smoking in public places would undoubtedly encourage a reduction in the number of people who smoke generally.
Youth Shelter
Members requested feedback regarding Cllr Mrs Hollebon’s suggestion for the provision of a Youth Shelter.
6. ITEMS FOR FUTURE AGENDA
i) Clare Pullen and Catherine Whitbourn, East Herts Council to attend meeting on
1 February 2007
ii) Invitation to Jamie Southwell to attend the next meeting.
7. DATE OF NEXT MEETING
Thursday 1 February 2007
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