It was a first! (or a second!)

Once referred to by former Town Councillor Dr John Courtneidge as "the jewel in the Town Council's crown" - did you know that Hertford Town Council's Youth Town Council was the first of it's kind in England?

It's True that a similar "Youth for Whole Town" Council was emerging somewhere in Cheshire at the same time, but Hertford was certainly innovating here in the South.

Now into its third decade, our Youth Council has motivated many young citizens to work for their town, our town, over the years.

Its mark of quality is educationally sound. Hertford Youth Councillors do not have a selfish agenda. They don't do just "youth for youth" although that is part of their constitution. Their tasks are much more challenging. They shadow all elements of the work of their parent body Hertford Town Council. Hertford Youth Town Councillors are young eyes and ears in the Town. They work as an executive group; they charge their clerk, Tricia Carpenter with tasks; they spend their own budget for the good of the town; they stage their own events.

Through their Chairman, the Mayor, they have a fast conduit to the Town Council. Their meetings are based on formalities, codes of conduct and proper standing orders. The Council is not a cosy discussion group. Youth Town Councillors support Town Councillors at civic events and they help maintain civic tradition.

Former Youth Town Councillor Katherine Woollgar said, "It was hard work, but at the end of the meetings I felt we've achieved something for the community. We had private preparation meetings before the big decision making meetings, where we would thrash things out together, but they didn't prevent debate at the formal meetings. I had several years of insight into Local Government and I enjoyed working with all political party people."