Local government is the place where young people can really get involved and effect change but too few do. Young Labour councillors can and must use all means available to change this

When we talk about introducing young people to politics we forget three of the core features of politics: representation, community and selflessness. Too often our debate is dominated by a struggle of ideologies and instead of a more locally rooted, public service ethic which can draw many in to representing Labour.

Too often, also, the young are sidelined by older members, being talked about rather than with. This happens at all levels of politics: Before the last election Age UK called for politicians to commit more to older voters because they are more likely to vote, and the BBC reported that a grey majority would be expected to turn out in 300 constituencies, including 94 marginals across England, Scotland and Wales. This debate disenfranchises young people with the political system before they’ve even begun.

Decisions since the general election seem to confirm this: students and young people have been consistently let down by the political establishment: breaking the Vote for Students NUS pledge; trebling tuition fees; scrapping EMA; abolishing the Future Jobs Fund; attacking the status of vocational learning and qualifications; and devaluing subjects like citizenship in secondary schools that teaches young people about our political system. Youth unemployment is sky-high.

At a local level, the average age of a councillor is 59, and so it is understandable that few young people feel connected to local government. While all sections of society may feel this way about local politics, routes into local government are fewer for the young. What’s worse, in 2002 the average age was two years younger, and only 13 per cent were under 45. Young people need to be able to walk down the street and relate to councillors who are like them: with the same strengths and flaws, passions and talents and, ultimately, from their community. They should know that local councillors have the ability to transform lives and deliver real change to their communities, even if it is always thought  that MPs are where the ‘power’ lies.

Last November, I attended the young councillors’ training weekend as part of the Local Government Leadership Academy programme, which posed the maxim that ‘we can achieve more for our local community than backbench opposition MPs in Westminster’.  This changed the way I look at local government and there are already ways of demonstrating this.

The It’s My Area project hosts the stories of a handful of young people who wouldn’t have normally come into politics in order to encourage more young people to stand for election. The fresh approach it takes is not to talk about party values or ideological positions, but to talk straight about local communities: by providing role models that younger people can look to and think ‘that could be me’. We need more projects like this tailored to individual areas talking about the issues that affect young people in their area – this is one step towards changing the dialogue that young people and politicians have.

Local authorities, and young councillors in particular, should be pushing an agenda that makes the political process and the decisions made in it as accessible as logging on to Twitter or Facebook. Connecting with your councillor should be the easiest thing you can do. Lobbying for public meetings to be recorded or streamed live, attendance records published, and profiles published about young councillors will improve the transparency and accessibility of those of us who have been given the vote of confidence by our communities.

Labour groups should pioneer a way forward for young councillors that really reforms how we conduct our business and carry out our politics to provide opportunities for young people and their councillors, and to provide more and more role models for the next generation.

We act best when we act as a movement, a collective based on shared ideas and beliefs. We should consider: creating an Association of Young Labour councillors for the under-35s in local government to set the agenda for young people in their communities, their local authorities and their Labour groups; supporting talented people from their selection meeting to polling day and beyond; and providing an opportunity to create policy and lobby on our issues. All this can help us answer the question of how we better introduce young people to our politics and ensure that young people in local government becomes the rule, not the exception.

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Rowan Draper was elected to Stafford borough council in May 2011. He is also Secretary of Staffordshire Young Labour and is Stafford CLP’s youth and students’ officer. He tweets @rowan_draper

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The LGA Labour Group is holding an event for Younger Labour Councillors on Friday 16 of March 6.30-8.30pm at Local Government House, Smith Square, Westminster, London, SW1

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Photo: Louisa Thomson