TEIGNBRIDGE YOUTH COUNCIL 8 FEBRUARY 2006 Present: Layla Crabtree (Chairman) Emma Wyatt-Haines (Vice-Chairman) Ellie Cook, Graeme Hammond, Lucie Hewitson, James Holding, Kristy Kaye-Lesser, Malcolm Lee, Alex Lyons, Florence Morgan-Richards, Grace Parker, Holliey Pearce, Catherine Prior, Elizabeth Prior, January Roberts, Jessie Seal, Rachel Tuckett, Cody Way and Sophia Wise In Attendance: Councillor Cox Portfolio Holder for Community Services Councillor Christophers Chairman of the Air Fusion Review Group Councillor Hook Portfolio Holder for Environment and Environmental Health Councillor Howe Portfolio Holder for Youth and Partnerships Councillor Walters Chairman of the Council Phil East Teignbridge Services Co-ordinator Jill Read Diversity and Projects Officer Apologies: Kirsty Allen, Kelly Barr, Paul Burton, Lee Cullen, Catriona Fallow, Nicola Ferriday, Sophie Gloyn, Katherine Hardwick, Louise Heath, Liam Henwood, Charlotte Hill, Heather Pilkington, Kira Roberts, Yaz Saad, Kayleigh Searle, Anothai Thaitirarot, Chokanan Thaitirarot, Joel Thomas, Hannah Tomlinson, Lucy Webber and Miria Whittle and Maria Willcoks 1. MINUTES The minutes of the Youth Council held on 11 January 2006 were approved and confirmed as a correct record. 2. MATTERS OF URGENCY Dawlish Town Council. Kristy Kaye-Lesser reported that the Finance and General Purposes Committee had recommended that Dawlish Town Council give the project a substantial sum, indicating six figures, from the proceeds of the sale of the Leonard Lamb Centre. At the full council meeting this was reduced to 30,000 despite being proposed and seconded, putting the project in jeopardy. Climate Change Champion. The Portfolio Holder for Environment and Environmental Health reported to the Youth Council that the Climate Change Minister had launched a search for young climate change champions. 9 people aged from 10 18 would represent each of the
regions in the UK. Each champion would spend a year "in office" helping to spread the word about climate change to their communities through local activities and would also have a number of engagements throughout the year, including a fact-finding tour to Switzerland. The Portfolio Holder for Environment and Environmental Health hoped Youth Councillors would take part in the competition, and also pass on details about the competition to teachers and colleagues at school, so that there would hopefully be a climate change champion from Teignbridge. (c) (d) (e) (f) Events/Finance. The Diversity and Projects Officer suggested that there be standing items on the Youth Council agenda for events and finance in the future. Youth Council Newsletter. The Diversity and Projects Officer thanked Lucie Hewitson for her hard work in producing the first edition of the Youth Council newsletter. The newsletter was now ready to be distributed to schools and youth centres in the district. Transport Plan. The Diversity and Projects Officer advised the Youth Council that significantly less than the 2,000 of monies ring-fenced for the Transport Plan would be needed to complete the actions set out. South Dartmoor Laptop Project. The Diversity and Projects Officer read out a letter the Youth Council had received from South Dartmoor School, asking for a donation towards their project to raise 15,000 to buy 30 laptops for their link school in the Gambia. Malcolm Lee, a student at South Dartmoor, reported that the school in the Gambia wanted to have a computer suite so that they could continue to build upon their link school relationship with South Dartmoor. Youth Councillors asked Malcolm Lee if he could bring more information about the project to 8 March 2006 Youth Council It was (i) (ii) That a letter signed by the Chairman be sent to Dawlish Town Council expressing disappointment from the Youth Council that they have decided to reduce their contribution to the youth centre from 150,000 to 30,000 and request that Kristy Kaye-Lesser make a representation to Dawlish Town Council on behalf of the Youth Council. That events and finance be standing items on the Youth Council agenda. (iii) That the Youth Council publish another newsletter, at the cost of 150 for printing.
(iv) That Malcolm Lee report back on the South Dartmoor Laptop Project at the 8 March 2006 Youth Council. 3. AIR FUSION Councillor Christophers provided a background to Youth Councillors on the Air Fusion Review Group, which had been set up by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee to investigate the issues relating to the Air Fusion performance festival held in Courtenay Park, Newton Abbot at the end of July each year. As Chairman of the Review Group, Councillor Christophers wanted to invite Youth Councillors to contribute to the review process. The Youth Council, as the voice of young people in the district were very important to the Council, who wanted to ensure that the Review Group were fully briefed on the most relevant issues before making any recommendations. Councillor Christophers thanked Kirsty Allen for the survey that she had conducted of 18 young people at The Junction Youth Centre. This survey would be used as evidence to inform the findings of the Review. During discussions particular reference was made to the following: advertising. Youth Councillors from Dawlish reported that they had not seen any advertising about the Air Fusion event in their town. It was felt that more could be done to publicise the event in the district as a whole and not just in Newton Abbot. Youth Councillors suggested an item could be included in an edition of their newsletter. drugs. Youth Councillors felt that contrary to some opinion Air Fusion did not represent an incentive for young people to take drugs 4. TRADING STANDARDS - COUNTERFEITING Trading Standards Officer, Rachel North, gave a presentation on counterfeit goods. Counterfeit clothes, perfume, DVDs, CDs and shampoo were passed around to Youth Councillors so that they could see the way in which counterfeit goods were packaged. During discussion particular reference was made to the following: markets. A Youth Councillor commented that counterfeit goods were available in many markets throughout the country. accidental purchase. Youth Councillors were concerned if they would have any comeback if they bought counterfeit goods by accident. The Trading Standards Officer advised that there were no specific powers available to them to make counterfeiters give money back.
5. LESBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL AND TRANSSEXUAL SUPPORT GROUP BUS SERVICE Sue Skelton, an Area Youth Worker at the Devon Youth Service reported to the Youth Council that in October 2005 a support group had been set up across the district for young people who were lesbian, gay, bisexual or transsexual (LGBT). Transport was a major issue for this group of young people as many of those wishing to access this service, operated jointly by the Devon Youth Service and the Devon Youth Association, lived in outlying rural areas. Many of these young people also felt unsafe, because of their sexuality, in using public transport to get to the centre in Newton Abbot. The cost of hiring a minibus to transport these young people would be just over 11 per week, there were however no funds available in the budget for transport. The Area Youth Worker asked the Youth Council if they would grant 450 to provide transport over a 46 week period. During discussion reference was made to the following: advertising. Youth Councillors asked what effort had been made to advertise the LGBT group. The Area Youth Worker advised that posters had been put up in lots of places including Schools, Youth Centres and Primary Care Trusts. size of the group. In response to a query from the Youth Council the Area Youth Worker advised that there were 6-8 people currently part of the group on a weekly basis, while there were another 3-4 young people in the rural areas who were unable to attend sessions on a regular basis. Cody Way proposed that 450 be donated from the Youth Council budget to the LGBT bus service. This was seconded by Jessie Seale That the Youth Council contribute 450 towards the LGBT bus service. 6. TRANSPORT ACTION PLAN The Diversity and Projects Officer reported that the Transport Project needed to be launched at the 5 April 2006 Youth Council meeting. It was That Cody Way, Graeme Hammond and Florence Morgan-Richards to form a design tank for the publicity leaflet
7. TRADING STANDARDS The Trading Standards Officer, Simon Foster, reported on the Devon Young Consumers Webpage, inviting feedback from members of the Youth Council on the design, layout and content of the web pages. LAYLA CRABTREE Chairman