infonews.co.nz
INDEX
NEWS

Youth opinions voiced in council meetings

Monday 14 April 2014, 7:34PM

By NP Linked Taranaki

541 views

NEW PLYMOUTH

LETTER TO THE EDITOR: I went to the ''Community Conversation'' at the TSB Showplace on Monday night [April 7] and was able to speak with most of the councillors and the mayor, even the CEO Barbara McKerrow.

Being only 16, and from Spotswood College, I tried to take in as much as I could from the community gathering. There were lots of talks about youth development, which I got on the microphone and spoke about. I asked about our youth development and if it was working or not. I found that the council is very keen to visit schools and marae to speak to our Taranaki youth, which I feel is very important for a healthy community.

I did ask the question about our old youth committee. I said ''If we had this youth committee where are they?'' Our council chooses who goes on the youth committee, and if these members of youth really care for the community they would be at these meetings.

Another topic I spoke to some people about was the need for the mayor to have a senior adviser. Opinions change over time as more facts are known, and from what I know we need to step into the mayor's shoes. He has a large role as part of the council to cater for a wide range of different ages, ethnicity and genders - as well as over 50,000 opinions. If he were to have a adviser he would have the information he needs when he needs it.

If you the community think we need something important, for example, solar-powered street lights, cheaper parking prices etc, then he needs the facts and figures at his finger tips, he can't just knock off to look on Google at solar-powered street lights.

I acknowledge that it must be hard for our council members to get up and face some criticism and to hear what could need adjusting, but it was also great to hear positives too.

MICHAEL RILEY/TARANAKI DAILY NEWS