Written question WQ89832

I have established a Democratic Health Task and Finish Group to review how to increase engagement between communities and their town and community councils.

The Task and Finish Group is, meeting with stakeholders, including those representing young people. A call for evidence has been issued which included a young people’s survey to understand the extent to which young people are aware of, and engaged with, their community and town councils. The group will report its findings in 2024.

It is important we take steps to engage young people in local democracy from an early age and encourage an active interest to participate in important community issues. It is through this engagement we will increase the number of young people prepared to stand as either town and community councillors or county councillors. Lowering the voting age to 16 and ongoing work in schools through the new curriculum to support young people to understand their role in democracy is a key aspect of engagement.

Our Programme for Government includes a commitment to reduce the democratic deficit in local government. In delivering this commitment we are supporting the following projects aimed at engaging young people:

• Llansteffan and Llanybri Community Council is establishing a Youth Forum to encourage young people to get involved with local issues and have a strong link with the community council;

• Politics Project is a pan-Wales project to support Digital Dialogue Sessions in schools across Wales;

• PLANED in West Wales will hold activities centred around connecting young people to elected officials from town and community councils in west Wales

• Boys and Girls Club Wales will run Pizza and Politics workshops and Raise your Voice projects throughout Wales, with an emphasis on those who are marginalised, including people from ethnic minority backgrounds, LGBTQ+ young people and disabled young people and those with poor mental health.