Youngsters put cleaner streets and safer communities on the agenda

Added: (Wed Jul 02 2003)

Pressbox (Press Release) - LONDON ASSEMBLY

news release
Press Office: 020 7983 4283
www.london.gov.uk

GLA/2003/273 30 June 2003

Youngsters put cleaner streets and safer communities on the agenda


A weekend of fun and art for young people at City Hall is to culminate in a special Young People’s Environmental Conference in the Chamber on Monday 7 July.

Organised by the London Assembly’s Environment Committee, the conference will be dominated by young people’s concerns about their futures. They have set the agenda, and issues for discussion include recycling and anti-social behaviour, such as graffiti and fly posting. Workshops will be held on these subjects, and the event will end with the youngsters putting their questions to Assembly Members.

At the first such conference last year, young Londoners raised two particular issues that are now on the political agenda. They pressed for reduced price tickets on the Underground and buses to be extended to include more youngsters. Last January, the Mayor announced his intention to extend the student photo card to cover part-time students over 18 receiving hardship payments. The young delegates also called for politicians to take greater note of their needs and concerns; the Mayor is considering establishing a forum for young Londoners.

Over the weekend of 5/6 July, around 100 young people from schools across London will descend on Potter’s Field beside City Hall to build six giant sculptures made from London’s rubbish. The centrepiece will be a ‘tree mill’ made from scrap exhaust pipes, sprouting windmills to highlight renewable energy. Envision1, which has organised the event called MaD London2, has enlisted the help of artists, celebrities, decision-makers, volunteers and members of the public to support the young people.

The conference is one of a series of events organised to coincide with the Mayor's State of London Debate, an important, annual exercise in democratic accountability. The Debate, recorded today by Carlton Television, will cover Quality of Life issues in London. The conference is proof that, although they are often perceived to be uninterested in politics, young Londoners are motivated to fight for a better environment.


MORE
Samantha Heath AM, Chair of the Assembly’s Environment Committee said: ‘This is a great opportunity for young Londoners to make their voices heard. What’s so fantastic is that they’ve set the agenda for the conference. They want to discuss issues such as over-packaging that leads to litter and dirty streets, and changes they’d like government and the Mayor to make. On the day they’ll also decide on various actions they can take personally to help improve London’s environment for future generations. They know they can make a real difference to London and its survival.’


ENDS

Notes to Editors

1. Envision’s schools programme provides an opportunity for students to explore and take positive action on local environmental and social issues. The programme operates in 20 schools across London and is in its second year of running. www.envision.org.uk/madlondon
2. Make a Difference London
3. Young people attending the Conference represent various youth organisations including Envision, Youth UK Parliament, Groundwork, Merton Youth Forum, the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Youth Forum, Hackney Free and Parochial School and Peace Child Organisation.
4. The following Members of the Environment Committee will also be attending the conference Roger Evans AM, Darren Johnson AM, Diana Johnson AM and Graham Tope AM.


Media enquiries please contact Kelly Flynn on 020 7983 4067, Lisa Moore on 020 7983 4228 or Denise Malcolm on 020 7983 4090.

Media enquiries for Envision please contact Tom Doust on 020 7974 8440

Out of hours media enquiries call 020 7983 4000, and ask for the Assembly’s duty press officer.

Non-media enquiries should be directed to the Public Liaison Unit on 020 7983 4100.