North East Lincolnshire seeks young people's views in upcoming debate
Cllr Freeston invites schools and groups to discuss key youth issues
North East Lincolnshire Council is reaching out to gather the perspectives of local teenagers, aiming to host a 'Young People's Debate' that addresses issues affecting the youth in the region.
Council leader Cllr Oliver Freeston is currently engaging with youth groups, schools, colleges, and parents to determine interest in this initiative, which will focus on non-political topics relevant to young people.
Potential debate subjects include future career opportunities within North East Lincolnshire, environmental concerns like clean streets, crime, and activities available for youth. These topics emerged from the previous year's 'Your Voice: Your Vote' survey conducted by the council.
Cllr Freeston expressed his motivation for the initiative: "Following a successful public event involving adults, I really wanted to look more at how we can involve young people. One of the issues debated at the adults’ event was how we can encourage young people to stay here in North East Lincolnshire after they finish college, and to get that right we need to be asking them."
He further highlighted the significance of ongoing surveys: "I am pleased to hear about the Your Voice: Your Vote survey and would also like the opportunity to have discussions on what has been raised by some of the young people who have taken part in the survey."
The initial call for interest in the debate yielded a positive response, with feedback from parents, schools, and elected members eager to participate: "I was really pleased with the feedback – there were parents who responded saying their children would be interested and a good few schools too, so let’s see if we can make it happen."
The council plans to distribute expression of interest forms to relevant organisations and communicate with headteachers through its newsletters over the coming week.
Those involved in youth groups, organisations, or educational settings interested in participating can access the expression of interest form here .
The 2026 'Your Voice: Your Vote' survey remains open for young people to share their thoughts, accessible here .