Young people do not have a strong enough voice in Lincoln’s decision-making and more must be done to involve them in city politics, a senior councillor has said.
Clare Smalley, who leads the Liberal Democrats on the Labour-run City of Lincoln Council, said the lack of youth representation “absolutely” impacts the authority’s ability to understand the needs of younger residents.
She said: “You have to work hard to tap into those communities and represent them.”
She believes that there are currently too few council policies that actively encourage young people to become involved in politics or develop independence. She says she would support the introduction of a youth council here in a bid to increase youth engagement.
Nationally, Labour has pledged to lower the voting age to 16, a move Coun Smalley supports, though she stressed that political education would be key to making such a change effective.
“I don’t see the point in waiting until you are 18,” she said.
Coun Smalley herself became a councillor after being encouraged by someone already involved in politics to stand for her area. “The opportunity allows me to better support my community and represent residents’ concerns,” she said.
One of her proudest achievements in office involved tackling ongoing anti-social behaviour in her ward.
Residents had raised concerns about noise disturbances between 2am and 4am, linked to nearby car parks being used late into the night. After gathering community feedback and pushing for action over the course of around a year, barriers were installed to restrict late-night access.
“It’s about things that benefit people,” she said.
As a councillor in opposition, she added that it is important to be a “strong voice” and to ensure concerns are backed with evidence when challenging decisions made by city leaders.
Looking ahead, she said she would like to see improvements to green spaces and streets across the city, as well as “more [activities] for young people.”
