Since our election, we’ve had a busy time exploring what we can do to deliver our priorities for the year and meeting lots of people.

We introduced ourselves at the Borough of Poole’s Full Council meeting in February, and Jack went to the Council’s Children and Young People Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting in March. It’s great that we have been given these opportunities to see how decisions are made and to get our voice heard.

We also met with our local politicians - Annette Brooke MP (Mid Dorset and North Poole), Conor Burns MP (Bournemouth West) and Robert Syms MP (Poole). It was a privilege to chat with them, and they all gave us lots of interesting ideas.

Talking of an honour, we were invited to the Poole Bridge Official Opening Ceremony on 9 March. It was a fun, music-filled evening, and it was superb when the bridge was opened and a flotilla of boats went through.

We have also been working with South West UKYP. Jack attended the first regional meeting in Taunton, and Ben went on the group’s weekend residential, in Dorset, when MYPs and Deputies from across the South West got together. During the residential, MYPs put forward their three priorities and then everyone voted on the three main manifesto issues for the South West Region.

The residential was also a chance to socialise with MYPs from Bristol to the Isles of Scilly. Overall, it was a great experience and helps to show the impact that youth can have across the region.

Jack also went on Poole’s Shadow Board residential, which was really enjoyable and where the group’s aims for the year were discussed.

But it hasn’t all been fun; we have done some work as well! We’ve been starting to develop our priorities of: anti-bullying, youth volunteering, and more affordable leisure activities. In our next blog, we will be outlining our action plan to deliver these.