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Are you over 18?
If you are, and have registered to vote, then on 5th May you have the right to vote in the local County Council elections.
‘Yeah, but why should I vote - my vote won’t make any difference and they never do anything for me?’
You might say that but the County Council controls a range of things that you might be interested in.
Children’s Services: This is what used to be Education and the part of social services delivering services to children and young people. The part of the Council spends the most money and employs the most people from head teachers to school cooks.
They also run the Youth Service
Highways and Transport: This deals with roads, buses and trains around the County. They’re also the people who clear the roads when it snows.
There is also the rest of social services that deal with older people
You may decide that it’s not the local issues that you want to vote about but the national or international situation and here’s a chance for you to express those views through the ballot box.
At this on 5th May there is also a general election where you can vote for a national government as well the County Council. You don’t have to vote for the same party locally as nationally so you could vote for one party locally because you think they will do a good job and another party nationally if you think they will run the national government better.
You don’t need to be 18 to get involved
If you want your voice to be heard then you need to get involved. All the political parties are run by small groups of people who are active at the local level and if you want to have any say in how those parties develop their policies then you need to be in at this grassroots level. Sometimes your ideas can cause a government to change its mind and develop in a new way.
It may seem surprising now but just over a hundred years ago there was no Labour Party and if it had not been for a few dedicated people working for it there never would have been. In more recent times we have seen the re-growth of the Liberals and the start of the Green Party. Even the Conservatives have gone through periods where they have kept the name but changed radically from inside. But it can only happen if you get involved.
Disclaimer, Target Audience, Jurisdiction Last updated & checked: 30/03/2006