The Mayor of Gillingham, Cllr Barry Von Clemens championed the initiative for local school councils to link with Gillingham Town Council. At the beginning of his Mayoral year Cllr Von Clemens had stated that “young people have a voice and we are here to listen”.
Representatives of Gillingham School’s council attended the Gillingham Full Council meeting held on Monday, 23rd January 2017 and presented a report of their current activities. Members of the town council welcomed this report and agreed that Gillingham School Council and St. Mary’s Primary School Council, who had asked to join this initiative, should be invited to send written reports, on a quarterly basis, up-dating the town council of their issues and concerns. This will provide a platform for the young people to engage with the first level of local government, to experience how democracy plays its part in their everyday lives.