Agenda and minutes

At the last meeting it was agreed that Oliver would chair this meeting. Raajveer would be Vice-Chairman.

It was noted that Oliver would be the Chairman and Sam would be the Vice-Chairman for this meeting.

            RESOLVED:

That the minutes of the meeting held on April 4 April 2017 be taken as read and signed by the Chairman as a correct record.

Tracy Marshall advised that around 45 members attended the YEA monthly meetings and the subgroups consisted of 10 members.

These were matters arising from the minutes of the last meeting.

a)            Youth Conference – Di asked Youth Councillors whether they had mentioned the date, Friday 3 November 2017 to their contact teachers and schools for the Youth Conference. Around 10 delegates from their schools would be required in addition to themselves.

ACTION: Youth Councillors to confirm with their schools the date of the Youth Conference on Friday 3 November 2016.

Di to report.

Di advised that the Epping Town Partnership were creating a youth festival programme on Saturday 8 July 2017. The Youth Council had been invited to attend and were asked man a stall to promote the Youth Council and their project work.

Di advised that previous Youth Councillors had contacted local shops and businesses to donate prizes, which could be option this time, for tombola to attract people to their stalls. Louis had drafted a letter for Youth Councillors to take to the shops within Epping High Street.

ACTION: Youth Councillors to collect a letter and arrange small groups of youth Councillors to go to shop within the Epping High Street to obtain prizes.

Youth Councillors who volunteered: Adam, Annabelle, Belle, Jacob, Ashwin, Oliver and Finlay. Charley and Jude were possibilities.

Di to report on progress.

Di advised that speed meeting with adult councillors would take place on Monday 3 July 2017 in the committee rooms. Di asked both Councillors H Kane and S Kane to contact their colleagues and encourage them to attend.

ACTION: Everyone to promote the Speed meeting event. G Gold to invite adult members via the Members Bulletin.

Di to report on training for the next project regarding Drugs and Legal Highs.

Di advised that the focus of the next project would be drugs and legal highs in response to feedback from schools, Youth Councillors and the year 9 Reality Roadshow data. Di advised that training would be delivered by Essex Young Peoples Drug and Alcohol Service (EYPDAS) to enable Youth Councillors to understand the issue and how they could progress the project to benefit the community.

To report on progress.

Di advised that venues were being considered, although priority had to be given to the affordability, capacity for 100 people and allowing for food/drink and music. Di and Louis were investigating Murray Hall and Waltham Abbey Town Hall.

Youth Councillors expressed concerns over the transport connections in Waltham Abbey and Gill commented that the cost was an important consideration. Di asked Youth Councillors whether they though charging for a ticket would be viable and whether £10 per ticket would be affordable. Di and Louis would continue to investigate venue with these points in mind.

AGREED that a possible charge of £10 for the event could be considered.

ACTION: Di and Louis to continue to investigate a venue for the event and any ideas suggested by the Youth Councillors should be sent through WhatsApp.

Louis to report on a social media competition to increase following and engagement with EFYC social media networks.

Louis advised that to increase the social media following of the Youth Council through their Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts, he was proposing a competition. The competition would be held over a three week period and the winner would get a £20 Amazon voucher.

AGREED that Louis would pursue this idea and report back to Youth Councillors.

Di to report.

Di advised that YEA members were unable to attend every meeting and they would contact Di if they were going to attend.

Di to report.

Di and Gaby advised that the cost of the Taxi bills to help out Youth Councillors to and from meetings and events were becoming very costly. Youth Councillors were asked to come up with ideas to cut costs and advise of any issues that may have with the current company including route length, waiting and pick up times.

AGREED that one pick up point could be established between Youth Councillors, that local taxi company from the areas that the Youth Council live in were used instead and that parent car sharing could be considered. This would be discussed at the end of the meeting.

Youth Councillors to report on any updates from their schools.

·                     Davenant Foundation School – Finlay advised that the notice boards were currently being replaced and he would check on the progress of the suggestion box. The Reality Road show had also attended the school. Joe Pascoe had also been selected as the Head Boy.

·                     Epping St Johns School - Annabelle advised that a place for the notice board had not yet materialised.

·                     King Harold Business & Enterprise Academy – Belle had applied for the Head Girl position.

·                     Roding Valley High School – Raajveer advised that Year 9 pupils had a debating team which he had applied and although he had not been successful, he had handed the Youth Council business card to the organiser. There were also issues with teachers leaving the school and impacting on the pupils. Matthew Tinker had also been selected as the Head Boy.

·                      West Hatch High School – Davin advised that the school council had dissolved and Leonora Troshupa had applied for Head Girl.

Youth Councillors to feedback on any events that they have attended in relation to the Youth Council since the last meeting.

a)            Communities Select Committee Representatives

Annabelle and Ashwin were selected by the Youth Council as the representatives for the Communities Select Committee.

b)         First Finals

Adam advised that he had attended the First Finals. The event enabled year 9 students to give speeches for the charities they wished to support and donate the prize money. The Haven House won the £1000.

c)         One to Ones

Di advised that one to ones had taken place with the majority of Youth Councillors, where the start and end times of the meetings had been reduced by 15 minutes to enable Youth Councillors to discuss and socialise before and after the meetings.

ACTION: Finlay, Blake, Chris, Oliver and Raajveer were still to organise a date with Di or Louis.

d)         British Youth Council Training

Di advised that training sessions with the BYC had been booked for the Youth Council. Last weeks training on understanding the role of a Youth Council and the responsibilities had taken place at WAY 2000, Waltham Abbey.

Members advised that the venue was not suitable as it required either a taxi or parents to drop off Youth Councillors as there was no public transport.

To present the Jack Petchey Award.

Annabelle was awarded the Jack Petchey award for her contributions to meetings, dedication and her enthusiasm about her role whilst going the extra mile. Annabelle had been nominated for hard work and was a friendly and popular Youth Councillor. 

(a)          To consider any new submission forms; and

(b)          To give updates on any previous submission form;

·                     Epping Forest College;

·                     Big White Wall Project; and

·                     Essex Police.

Epping Forest College – Di advised that the Principal of Epping Forest College, Saboohi Famaili and her deputy, Phil Hall had requested to attend the meeting on 6 June 2017 to talk about developing the college provision.

Big White Wall – Hailey Gilliam had sent her apologies for the previous meeting and would like the opportunity to attend again in June 2017.

Essex Police – Claire Rawlins would be attending the Youth Council training meeting on 20 June 2017 to present the Youth Councillors who completed their training with their Hate Crime Ambassadors Certificates.

Members to raise items of business for consideration at the next meeting.

Supply Teachers

Raajveer asked all Youth Councillors to consider the impact of supply teacher on their schools and pupils and asked that they debated this issue at the July 2017 meeting.

Research for the Drugs and Legal Highs Project

Abigail advised that she was finding the collection of data for the drugs and legal highs project particularly difficult for the District. Di advised that she would contact the Community Safety Team to help.

ACTION: Di to contact the Community Safety Team.

(a)          Notices by Diane;

(b)          Notices by Louis;

(c)          Any other Notices; and

(d)          Youth Councillor Notices.

Youth Councillors Notices

·                     Finlay advised that he had being working on the social media for NHS NELFT Mental Health Project over the Easter holidays. The next meeting would be at Hemnall Street.

·                     Raajveer asked Di to email the NHS contact details.

Di Notices

·                     MiLife roadshow – Di advised that the MiLife roadshow’s would be at West Hatch on the 11 May 2017 and at King Harold Business & Enterprise Academy on 13 July 2017. Youth Councillors attending these schools would be expected to be involved in the roadshows.

·                     Reality roadshows – Epping St John’s School had been organised for 10 July 2017 and King Harold Business & Academy on 17 July 2017.

·                     Social Time – Di advised that Youth Councillors had raised the issue of having time to speak with each other before the meeting or have something to eat. Di advised that they had trialled this today and it seemed to work well.

AGREED that meetings would start at 7.15 pm and finish 8.45pm but with drop and collection times remaining 7 – 9pm.

·                     Youth Council Charity – Di asked whether Youth Councillors wanted to consider raising money for a charity each year. The idea would to nominate a chosen charity and raise money for them in a similar way to the Chairman’s Charity. Louis suggested linking the choice of the charity to the project that the Youth Council were working on.

Notices by Louis

·                     Getting to Know You – Louis advised that Davin, Chris, Sam, Ashwin, Nina and Annabelle need to complete the ‘Getting to know you’ proforma so that this information could be uploaded on their profile pages.

ACTION: Louis to email the outstanding Youth Councillors with the proforma.

·                     Diary Sheets – Louis asked Youth Councillors to check their diary sheets which he sends out each week and advised if they were unable to attend.

Notices by Gaby

·                     Travel Expenses – Gaby explained that travel expenses were taking up a huge amount of the expenditure and could the Youth Councillors be mindful and consider other means of transport, if available.

To be confirmed at the meeting.

To note that the next meeting would be held on Tuesday 6 June 2017 at 19.15 – 20.45, venue to be confirmed.

Gaby advised that the meeting should take place at Epping College although she was awaiting confirmation.