Lesson video

Hello everyone and welcome to today's citizenship lesson.

My name is Miss Wyatt and I'm so pleased that you could join me here today.

Welcome to today's lesson on "Should young people have the right to stand in local elections?" From the unit, how can young people play an active role in democracy? By the end of today's lesson you will be able to explain why local council elections are important and the arguments for and against young people being able to become local councillors.

Our keywords that we will be using throughout today's lesson are local council and local councillor.

Local council is a group elected to make decisions and provide services in a specific area such as a town, a city or a borough.

Local councillor is a person elected to represent their ward or division and the people who live in it.

Our lesson on should young people have the right to stand in local elections is broken up into two parts today.

The first part, we're going to explore why are local elections so important and then we're going to look at should young people be local councillors? So when you're ready let's begin today's lesson.

Local democracy is about decisions made in your local area and how you can influence them.

The power to make decisions at a local or regional level in our villages, towns, cities and counties usually rest with local councils or elected mayors.

They make important decisions about local services like education and social services and facilities like museums and leisure centres.

Local government have different roles and responsibilities than central government.

So let's take a look at this table on our screen.

So we can see that there are two headings, local government and central government.

So we have areas, roles and decision makers involved in both.

So when we talk about areas, we want to know that local government have powers in a local area like a town, a city or a county.

Well, the role of the local government, they apply laws and they decide how local services are run, like bin collections.

The decision makers, well, councillors, are elected by local residents, the people that live in the area, and they make those decisions the councillors do.

Central government, so they hold power over the whole of the United Kingdom.

The role that they play is that they set laws and policies.

The decision makers are government ministers, who are MPs or Lords, and run government departments.

Unlike the government which handles national issues like the NHS and foreign policy, local government focuses on the needs of communities and towns, cities and villages.

Local elections give people the power to choose someone who shares their views and priorities.

For example, in the May 2024 elections, many councils focused on tackling crime and improving local transport.

Local councillors also hold council meetings where they listen to residents' concerns.

That is why having people you trust and agree with as councillors is so important because they take your feedback and they work on it.

So true or false? Local councils can pass new laws.

The local council can they? Hopefully we all said this is false.

It's false because passing new laws is the role of the central government, not local government.

So local councils cannot change laws, but they apply them across their communities.

Local elections will take place in your local area.

During the elections, voters elect the decision makers at local or regional level.

Local elections happen at different times around the country, so you might not see a local election happening in your area, despite seeing lots of other areas voting on the news.

Local councillors, often referred to as just councillors, are the elected representatives who make the decisions locally.

They are normally elected to serve for four years.

They don't get a salary, but are given an allowance to do their work.

The local area is split into wards, and each ward has at least one councillor to represent them.

Taking part in local elections means that you are part of the democratic decision-making process for your area.

Local councillors play a vital role in their community.

Their role involves things like representing their area or their ward, so representing the people who live within that area.

They provide community leadership for their area and develop a vision to improve the ward for its residents.

They develop council policies and help the council to create services that better serve the needs of residents.

They take part in planning and licencing decisions and being regulators, for example, issuing planning permission for new buildings and licences for restaurants and taxis.

Many people do not realise that their local councillor has a say in issues that affect under 18s like youth services, transport and even school funding.

This shows that local elections are not just for adults, they affect young people as well.

However, if young people do not speak up their views may not be considered in these decisions.

Jun says "I always speak up, that is why I took the opportunity to join my local youth council so at least I can share my views before the age when I can actually vote." Well done, Jun.

For this task we need to fill the gaps in about the role of the local councillors.

We have some sentences and they have some gaps.

Pause the video and have a go at working out what the missing words are.

Okay, let's go through these answers together.

So local councillors are usually elected every four years.

They are the elected representative that makes decisions locally and provides community leadership of their wards.

They make and take part in lots of important decisions on our behalf.

So we should have worked out that it was four representative, community and decisions.

Those were our missing words.

Well done if we managed to work them out.

Some of the services that the local council are responsible for are: Education, libraries, transport, schools, parks, youth services, council housing, waste and recycling, leisure services, trading standards, environmental protection and children's social work.

So these are just some of the services that the local council are held to account for.

The range of services the council is responsible for is so vast, so it's really important people contribute to the democratic process of voting for a suitable local councillor.

So when it comes to thinking about local elections and council elections and who would you vote for when you finally can at the age, you need to think who represents me best in the area.

Local councils also provide a range of services through money that is provided in the local economy, like business rates, council tax and fines.

Council tax, business rates and fines help to provide money for the local council to fund services such as healthcare, transport, sport, infrastructure, county courts, benefits, social housing and local environment.

So you might be thinking, well, what do they do with the council tax and the money from the business rates and the money from the fines? Well, that money goes into those services.

Even though under 18s cannot vote in local elections apart from in Scotland and Wales where 16 and 17 year olds can vote in local elections, they are still affected by the outcome.

That is why some areas have youth councils where young people are elected to represent their age group, so I wonder if you know of any youth councils in your local area? For example, the UK Youth Parliament gives young people a chance to debate in the House of Commons once a year and work with councils.

These structures show how important it is for everyone to understand and engage with local elections even before they can vote.

For this task, we need to work out what are the correct statements and tick them.

So pause the video, read through these statements and work out which ones are right.

Okay time for our answers.

So the correct statements are B and D.

Local councils deal with schools and recycling and other areas and youth councils can raise issues to the local council.

Statement A and C are incorrect.

We know that local councils don't just make decisions for adults, it also affects the lives of young people and actually, voting in local elections does affect young people.

So well done if we got those right.

For this task, I would like you to imagine you are being interviewed on a podcast for young people about politics.

Now you need to write your answer to the following question.

The question is, why should young people care about local council elections? Aisha says, "Try to write as if you are speaking on a podcast and explain your point of view clearly." So you need to give reasons for your answer, okay? So pause the video and have a good go at this task.

Okay, so your interview then might look a little bit like this.

So we said I think young people should definitely care about local council elections.

A lot of people feel like politics is something that happens far away in Parliament, But actually, local government makes a lot of the decisions that affect us right here every day.

For example, the local council can have a say in what happens to local parks and youth services, and whether our buses run often enough or are affordable.

But these aren't small things.

They affect our education, our safety, and even our free time.

Even though we can't vote until we're 18 in England, the people elected today will still be making decisions that affect us for years.

That's why it matters who gets voted in.

If we talk to all the people we know, like parents, carers or older friends, about what is important to us, they might vote in a way that reflects our lives.

So yes, even if you're under 18, understanding local council elections means understanding how change happens where you live.

It's not just about politics, it's about having a say in your community and what is important in life.

So maybe you included some of the same points as we did to say this is why local council elections are so important.

Well done everyone.

Why are local council elections so important? And we're now going to explore the question of should young people be local councillors? Anyone in the UK can stand as a local councillor as long as they're at least 18 years old.

They're a British citizen, an eligible Commonwealth citizen, a citizen of the Republic of Ireland or a qualifying EU citizen.

In England, they must also meet one of the following criteria.

They are registered to vote in that local area, they have lived in the area for the past 12 months, they have worked in the area for the past 12 months and they have owned or rented property in the area for the past 12 months.

Okay, so lots of different criteria to be able to stand as a local councillor you need to meet.

So in Scotland and Wales, 16 and 17 year olds can vote in local elections.

However, people in Scotland and Wales still have to wait until they are 18 to represent their communities as local councillors.

You must also have to be 18 years old or older to represent your country as a member of parliament.

Some argue that denying younger people the chance to represent others is unfair, while others say they're not ready for the responsibility.

This issue raises questions about fairness, democracy and whether our political system is equal and truly reflects the voices of all ages.

So let me ask you, which two roles do you need to be 18 years old or older to get elected to represent your area in the United Kingdom? Which two roles was it? Hopefully we said a local councillor or a Member of Parliament, or an MP.

Well done if we said those.

Many people think 16 and 17 year olds should be able to become local councillors.

Young people offer a fresh point of view and first-hand experience of services that councils are responsible for.

Councils make decisions about policy areas, youth services, school funding, mental health support and buses.

These are services that under 18s use.

Supporters believe that if a young person can raise and research issues they can also serve as a full councillor.

This would make sure young voices are heard and acted on directly not just through the youth forums. Young people should be allowed to be fully involved in the democratic process.

Letting young people stand as councillors could increase youth interest and trust in democracy.

If teenagers see people their age in leadership roles, it helps them believe they can make a difference too.

For example, Article 12 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child or the UNCRC says children's views should be given due weight depending on age and maturity.

Therefore, if someone under 18 is mature enough to represent others, some think they should allow them to become local councillors.

So let's check our understanding now.

What does article 12 of the UNCRC say about children? Is it all children can vote at 16? Is it children's view should be ignored? Is it children's view should be respected? Or is it all children should be councillors? Which one is the right answer? Hopefully we have said C, children's view should be respected, is what Article 12 says about children.

However, others disagree and think young people should not be given the responsibility of the role of a local councillor.

Being a councillor is a big responsibility and some say that most under 18s do not have enough experience or time to do the role effectively.

Councillors need to understand long reports, attend late meetings, visit people and make difficult decisions about money and services.

For example, Birmingham City Council faced serious financial issues in 2024 and councillors had to make complex decisions that affected millions of people.

People who disagree with lowering the age argue that under 18s might struggle with balancing these duties alongside school, college or part-time jobs.

Young people might not be able to fulfil a local councillors' responsibilities as much as old people because of their education commitments.

Some people are concerned that younger councillors may not be taken seriously by older members or may be seen as symbolic councillors rather than influential.

In local councils, members must question officials, deal with complaints and represent entire communities.

Critics argue it may be more effective to strengthen youth councils where young people can still raise issues and influence decisions without the legal pressure or official office.

For example, the Youth Essex Assembly works with the local councillors to share ideas that affect young people, but members are not legally responsible for council decisions.

So let's match the roles to their definitions.

So we have symbolic councillor, youth councillor and local councillor.

On the right hand side, we have their roles, but they've mixed up.

So let's pause the video and have a go at this task.

Okay, let's go through our answers then.

So symbolic councillor we should have matched up to someone who looks like they have power, but they don't.

Youth Council, official group where young people share views, which leaves us with local councillor, speaks and acts for a group of people.

Well done you, if you matched them up correctly.

For this task, I would like you to imagine your town is voting on a new law allowing 16 and 17 year olds the right to become local councillors.

You are chosen to give the final speech in the debate.

So you need to write a short speech either for or against the law.

Alex says we need to include at least one example, a clear opinion, why it matters to young people and a closing statement to finish our speech.

So when you're ready, pause the video and enjoy this task.

Well done everyone.

So your speech might look like this one for example.

So we said young people should be allowed to become local councillors.

We use public transport, go to schools and live with the council's choices.

In Essex, young people can be members of the youth Essex assembly working with local councillors to share ideas that affect young people.

So why can't we be one? We deserve to help make decisions, not just live with them.

Article 12 of the UN Convention says our views should count.

If we're affected, we should be represented too.

We are not just the future, we're ready now.

Let young voices be heard where it matters most.

So this is arguing that they should be.

Alternatively, you might have argued against it.

So we said being a councillor is a serious adult responsibility.

It involves budgets, legal duties and long meetings.

Young people already have youth councils to share their views like the Youth Essex Assembly, so they can share their views this way.

Councillors need experience that most teenagers do not yet have.

In 2024, Birmingham faced major budget cuts.

Tough choices had to be made.

Balancing school and council work would be too much.

It's better to prepare young people than push them too soon.

Let young people train now and lead when they're ready.

I'm so interested to know your thoughts on this and where you stand in your speeches, but well done on your efforts.

We've now come to the end of our lesson on, "Should young people have the right to stand in local elections?" And I'm going to summarise it into a few points for us.

Local councils are responsible for policy areas such as education, transport, youth services and rubbish collection.

You must be at least 18 to stand as local councillor anywhere in the UK.

In Scotland and Wales, 16 and 17 year olds can vote in local elections, but they cannot be councillors.

Councillors must meet at least one of four qualifications, live, work, own or rent property, or be registered to vote in the local area for the past 12 months.

Youth councils allow young people to share their views with local councillors, but they do not have the same decision-making powers.

Thank you for your efforts in today's lesson, I really hope you've enjoyed today.