First time voters 'want their say' in elections

Eurovision showed off the Merseyside's transport links but what about the rest of the year?

Turning 18 is a big milestone. You can get a tattoo, be called for jury service and buy alcohol (if that’s your thing).

You can also vote.

For 18-year-old Tristan, a politics student at Cronton sixth form college in Widnes, the opportunity to participate in democracy couldn’t come soon enough.

“I’ve been on the sidelines too long,” he said, adding he was excited to vote for the first time in the local elections on 2 May.

Local contests come without the razzmatazz of a general election when the whole country heads to the polls to elect a new government. Turnout is generally much lower too.

The students will vote for their first time this week

Tristan and his fellow students will vote for a metro mayor and a police and crime commissioner.

If they live in Halton, they’ll vote for a local councillor too.

Joe, 18, said devolution and metro mayor powers had made “local elections a bit more exciting than they once were”.

Widnes in Halton is part of the Liverpool City Region, along with the five Merseyside councils of Liverpool, Wirral, St Helens, Knowsley and Sefton.

But people in Halton have often said they feel detached from it.

Halton has historically been part of Cheshire and, although it separated from Cheshire County Council more than 25 years ago, many residents feel more of an affinity with Cheshire than Merseyside.

Being part of the Liverpool City Region may have resulted in stronger economic connections between Halton and Liverpool, but it hasn’t made much difference to local identities in Widnes – or in Runcorn across the River Mersey.

Katrina, 18, said: “I don’t really identify with Liverpool – when I tell people outside the region I am from Widnes, they associate it with Liverpool, but I don’t.”

Sparrow, 17, said she felt the city of Liverpool had received more investment than other boroughs, like Halton and St Helens.

"There isn’t a huge amount of awareness of the role of metro mayor and I think that’s a big issue as he or she is meant to be a figurehead for our community, representing us nationally and internationally," she added.

The students have been learning about local democracy

Transport was the biggest issue for these young voters.

Joe was concerned about older residents in the borough missing out on travel perks.

“Older people in Halton aren’t able to get free bus passes, but people from other parts of the city region are and I don’t think that’s fair,” he said.

Joe said he hoped the election might put pressure on the next metro mayor to change things. Halton is excluded from Merseytravel transport over 60s concessions because the council doesn’t pay into the Merseytravel funding pot.

Jas, 18, said "reliability isn’t great” when it came to bus travel.

“When I move to Liverpool to be a student next year I don’t think it’s going to be easy to travel back to Widnes to see my parents,” he said, adding that better transport at night would be “perfect”.

Natasha, from neighbouring St Helens, said: “If it was a general election, it would be a bit more exciting. I am still going to vote, but I don’t think the candidates are offering enough choice.”

She said regenerating St Helens town centre would be her top priority. “More businesses need to be encouraged to invest there,” she said.

Lucie said she felt the job opportunities for her chosen career of law were good in the city region, but she worried that others might have to move to London to pursue their ambitions.

Sparrow won’t be able to vote this time. Her 18th birthday is in June – a month too late.

She said: “I’m upset I don’t get to vote this time. I think it’s important we get to have our say as we are the future of our area.”