Getting younger people involved in politics

Getting younger people involved in politics is 19-year-old councillor Oliver Freeston.

He was elected in 2018 to the Croft Baker ward. Oliver lives in Cleethorpes and commutes to university in York, where he is reading Social Policy.

Determined to encourage younger people into politics, he invited 17-year-old Georgia Bartley to attend her first ever council meeting. She sat in the public gallery of the full meeting of North East Lincolnshire Council last week, at Grimsby Town Hall.

Georgia said: “I got in touch with Martin Vickers MP, who introduced me to Oliver. In the week or so that I have known him, it has been a bit of a whirlwind experience.

“He has taken me under his wing and shows that politics is very much open to younger, and especially female, candidates. The full council meeting was really fun but strange, as at one point I had a de ja vu feeling, like I was in a history lesson at school!

“One of the Labour councillors spoke about a miners’ strike in South Yorkshire more than 35 years ago. I found this surprising as it is not related to North East Lincolnshire.

“I asked Oliver afterwards why they did not debate local issues. He told me how this can sometimes be the case with the opposition, who wish to advance their national momentum agenda.

“I loved the pomp and ceremony of the evening, with us having to rise for the Lord Mayor and hear a prayer at the beginning. It is nice to have this tradition retained.

“I have told many of my friends about what I am doing and they now they are keen to get involved too. It is nice having someone like Oliver to help.

“Oliver introduced me to the Mayor. He was very approachable and allowed us to take a photograph together. He said he was glad to see a younger person in the public gallery and asked if I would attend the next one too.

“My mum did shout at me a little when I got home at 11.45 pm because the meeting finished so late, but she is so supportive and proud of me for wanting to get involved!”

Councillor Freeston said: “Inviting Georgia was great because I can help modernise local politics and increase engagement with decision makers.

“I am only a couple of years older than Georgia, so I think it is easier for her to relate to me and learn about local government and the work of the council. I wish when I was her age, I’d had a similar opportunity or role model, as it would have made things simpler.

“Politics tends to be older people’s interest but there seems to be change now. The new leader of the council, Councillor Philip Jackson, has shown his commitment to bringing through the youth as he recommended me to be the chair of the Children and Lifelong Learning Scrutiny Panel. My ongoing work with youth centres, local groups and individual parents is something I really enjoy.

“The full council meeting was unfortunate because it ran over time due to a motion put forward by the Labour Group that was not in the interests of local people – which is a shame because it was only in that meeting that I reminded colleagues that we are local councillors and not MPs.

“From a young councillor’s perspective, it seems that many members want to mimic the parliamentary scene on a local level, which is a real shame and perhaps explains why people were fed up of some local councillors.

“I had to leave the chamber and check with Georgia that she was ok to stay later than 10pm as I was conscious that she had college the next day and I know how important education is – after all, I am a student myself. I was actually running a little bit late picking her up for the meeting as the traffic on my way home from university was bad, such are the joys of being a commuter and living at home when doing a degree!” 

Find out more about Oliver at his Facebook page.