Halton Borough Council voted overwhelmingly last Wednesday to support the UK Youth Parliament’s Campaign to lower the voting age to 16-years-old in all elections across the country, a move welcomed by it’s Member of the Youth Parliament

Cllr Stef Nelson proposed the motion which will see the Council calling on the government to back the bid to lower the voting age and to ensure that young people are educated about political matters after the issue was raised by Member of UK Youth Parliament Ewan Jago.

Votes at 16 has been a long standing campaign aim for the Youth Parliament and was one of the top topics here in Halton in last year’s UKYP Make Your Mark ballot.

This year’s general election saw a sharp increase in the number of 18-24 year olds voting and a resurgence in interest in all things political amongst young people.

Halton Borough Council’s Executive Board Member for Children, Young People and Families, Cllr Tom McInerney, said: “I believe that young people are underestimated in their ability to make informed decisions. I support this.”

Speaking after the vote to back the campaign, Ewan Jago said: “It is absolutely brilliant that Halton Borough Council have passed this motion. Votes at 16 need to be brought in and this brings the UK Youth Parliament one step closer to making that happen and giving 16 and 17 year olds the say they deserve and the opportunity to shape their own future.”

Ewan is 14-years-old and a student at Ormiston Bolingbroke Academy. He was elected to the UK Youth Parliament in March this year on a platform to campaign for Votes at 16 and to work towards improving Sports and Leisure facilities for young people in Halton.

If you want to find out more about how young people in Halton can be see, heard and listened to in decision making in the borough and beyond, check out www.haltonyc.com

For information about Halton Youth Cabinet and the UK Youth Parliament in Halton please contact: enquiries@haltonyc.com

Check out more from Halton Youth Cabinet on the web at HaltonYC.com, on Facebook and Twitter @HaltonYC: @HaltonYC.

Young Addaction organises UK Youth Parliament in Halton on behalf of Halton’s Children’s Trust and Halton Council as part of an on-going commitment to improve opportunities for all children and young people living in the borough