First time voters: Even we're disillusioned
From left to right: Jack Champ, Peter Nicks, Josh Cherian, Ariane Wood, Oluwademilade Oluwole, Nikola Jagielska and Sara Egrtova
- Published
Bristol students who will be voting for the first time as adults in the upcoming local elections have been sharing their views as polling day approaches.
Bristol is holding "all-out" elections on May 2nd, meaning all 70 councillor seats across Bristol are up for election.
It will be the first vote since the city decided to scrap its elected Mayor, with groups of councillors running the authority instead.
Despite an enthusiasm for voting for the first time, students at St Bede's college in Lawrence Weston say there are serious problems that need addressing.
"I think I will vote, because it's quite important," says 18-year-old Jack Champ.
"I'm not entirely sure how to put it, and it might be nostalgia, but I feel things just used to be nicer."
He's speaking at a round table of fellow students in a sixth-form room at St Bede's Catholic college, and appears to have hit on a pervasive theme ahead of local elections in Bristol.
"The bins used to be put out more, the grass and trees cut back more often," he adds.
The election on May 2 will decide who runs the Council under a new so-called committee system.
For these students, half of whom are studying politics, there's an acute awareness of the issues the sity faces.
"I think a lot of things aren't being dealt with," says Ariane Wood, 18.
"Take housing for example, there are still so many situations where people are experiencing overcrowding, I've seen this myself."
Others raise the quality of the bus service in the city, youth provision, and crime prevention.
Bristol is scrapping its mayor in favour of a committee system from May 2
Bristol City Council, like most others, spends the majority of it's budget on social care, in particular looking after adults and vulnerable children.
It is also responsible for parks, libraries, planning, waste and local transport.
"The local council doesn't have that much power," according to 18-year-old Peter Nicks.
"The amounts given to them by central government is massively lower than in the past, and the council tax system is rather outdated," he adds.
Meanwhile, according to Josh Cherian the city offers more opportunities than other places.
"But it's like the shiniest of" excrement, citing issues of safety in the city centre and the lack of investment in young people who drop out school.
Despite Josh's colourful description of the state of affairs, he and his fellow students are all planning to take part in the city council, and Police and Crime Commissioner elections.
"It's important to know at least a thing or two about local politics and the world you live in," he says.
Meanwhile, Oluwademilade Oluwole, 18, says her vote is based on a desire to help her local community.
"I want thing to improve for our society and definitely for Lawrence Weston, because it has a bad reputation.
"It's improved a lot, there's new houses, and community facilities, but there are definitely things that need to be better."
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