Members of Youth Parliament and its advisory group were joined in October 2024 by CEO of Somerset Council Duncan Sharkey. In this post member of the Youth Parliament advisory group Lara Martin and Somerset Member of Youth Parliament James Lawson give an update on the meeting.

I really enjoyed our in-person monthly meeting at Donyatt Village Hall. I think the real highlight and focus of the meeting was our discussion with Duncan Sharkey, The CEO of Somerset Council.

He was really welcoming towards the group and provided positive answers when we questioned him on some of the issues concerning young people. We also highlighted our current campaigns and some more general, wider areas of interest to do with Somerset Council challenges and his role.

He provided us the opportunity to talk with some really helpful contacts within the Council, and even invited us to join regular meetings held between the council and seven local MPs for our area, with the potential for some of us to meet in London at the House of Commons to discuss local issues in more depth and ensure young people’s voices are heard.

I think the most important part of our conversation was how he was able to connect with us on issues that affect young people just as much as they do the adult population in Somerset. It’s really important to have someone that can see a different perspective, and I think our members asked him some really good questions to get to know his views. I’m looking forward to working with him in the future!

Lara

In our October meeting, we had the fabulous opportunity to meet the head of the Somerset Council, Duncan Sharkey. We first chatted to him about his past, when he helped organise the Queens funeral and manage other councils. He talked about his interests and childhood. He had a lot to speak about, and we all concluded from the first minute that he was an excellent speaker!  We found his past occupations really interesting, and he clearly had an extremely varied career.

He then spoke a little about the council’s finances, and he was very upfront and honest about the £80,000,000 debt that the council accumulated in a year. It was a breath of fresh air when he spoke honestly, because I often find that decision makers throughout the country dodge difficult questions or make up false statements.

He talked about climate, carbon grabbing and vertical farming, and education, and the need to attract business and industry to Somerset, by doubling the towns populations, and creating better infrastructure and transport links. We all shared the same view that the bus services and train operations are in dire need of improving!

Duncan had also been in contact with local youth Parliament groups in Windsor, where he used to work. He was clearly very supportive about youth voice, and offered to help bring Youth Parliament and MP’s together. He advised us to push our way into the adult conversation, attend council meetings and made us feel important and valued. Kindly, he stayed for a lot longer than we thought he would, which shows his respect towards youth Parliament.

James

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Youth Parliament includes elected Members of Youth Parliament and an Advisory Group which anyone can join if they are between 10 and 25 years old, and they live, work or attend a school in the county.

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