Appeal for ideas to help persuade more young people to vote

Date article online: 09/11/2006

Conservative Councillor Ian Duckworth was appointed Chairman of the Council's Elections Scrutiny Study Group on Wednesday 8 November. In summary, the committee remit is to find ways of getting more people out to vote in local elections.

The committee has decided to conduct a residents survey in four wards that had the lowest turnout at the last elections, however, the committee recognises the paradox, as Councillor Duckworth said: "of course the problem is that people who don't bother to vote probably won't be bothered to take part in a survey but I believe it should be attempted anyway."

Councillor Duckworth added: "We are also going to put the same question to our focus groups.

"As young people tend not to vote in local elections we are also going to approach schools as part their citizen lessons and we will be consulting with Rochdale Six Forms to ask for their ideas and input.

"The whole process is being done at minimum cost to the council taxpayer.

"If any Rochdale Online reader has any ideas, or can tell me why they don't feel the need to vote in local elections, I would be only too pleased to hear from them."

Lib Dem Agent Dave Hennigan said: "We of course welcome this positive step by the Council, we do need to see more younger people standing for election.  These days I am afraid that many younger people are turned off politics.  Councillors like Dale Mulgrew and Ibrahim Khan are good examples of young people getting involved in the political process and we hope to see more.  I would hope the Conservative Party recognise the efforts of the Liberal Democrat and Labour Parties and look for younger candidates."

Rochdale Online Managing Director Pauline Journeaux points out that communication is the key if young people are to feel less alienated from local politics. She has emailed Councillor Duckworth explaining that Councillors could very easily use existing facilities on Rochdale Online to communicate far better what it is they do on behalf of constituents, young and old, but many councillors show a marked reluctance to do so. She said: "Young people get their news online, they don’t buy newspapers, however, councillors appear reluctant to communicate via the medium of choice for young people. My suggestion would be to meet them where they are at."

Mrs Journeaux added: "Rochdale Online has tried via our Councillor Diary section to help local Councillors communicate with the thousands of readers of this site. The diaries have proved highly popular with the entries of the 13 councillors who have started a dairy being read 7500 times in October alone. This has come as no surprise to us given the popularity of our local election coverage in May, what has surprised us is that only 13 of the Borough's 60 councillors have taken advantage of this excellent opportunity to communicate with local people."

• www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/News/councillor_diary.asp