Wilmslow Town Council has agreed to supply grant funding to set up a Youth Forum.
In order to support youth activities in Wilmslow and the surrounding area, a group of young people will be elected to form a panel who will be responsible for reviewing grant applications from youth groups. Approved grant applications will then be submitted to Wilmslow Town Council for final agreement.
Elections for delegates will be undertaken at Wilmslow High School and other schools and colleges in the area educating 13 to 19 year olds, including private schools. Elected delegates will then receive training on a variety of topics, including following democratic principles, advertising and marketing the work and aims of the panel, budgeting and how to judge grant applications.
The scheme is being organised by Wilmslow LAP and it is proposed that each Council, i.e. Wilmslow, Handforth, Styal and Alderley Edge, ring fence a proportion of their own grant budget as a maximum spend for this panel within the Council's area. The suggested sum for Wilmslow Town Council is £25,000.
Cllr Ruth McNulty explained "What we're trying to do is set a forum for a group of young people who will be properly trained and can judge grant applications regarding youths.
"Our part in this is to ring fence part of our grants budget so that we can pass this on, keeping the money here but saying to this group of young people you can spend up to £25,000 on projects in Wilmslow.
"The big two contributors to the total budget will be Wilmslow and Handforth - between us we'll have £35,000."
She added "All the grant applications will eventually come to us before they are signed off, but they will at least have been scrutinised by young people who are closer than we are to what young people need and want."
Cllr Keith Purdom said "I think this is great, I particularly like the idea that we are in trusting and giving some responsibility to this group."
Cllr Martin Watkins added "It's a really good opportunity for young people to get involved in what goes on in their community, to have a voice and to actually do something about the things that matter. For us we are able to listen to what they have to say as it is very easy to forget what they have to say sometimes."
It is hoped that this Youth Forum initiative can start in the autumn term.
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