Speed date quiz as Ludlow MP faces youngsters
It's speed dating – but not as you know it.
This time the participants are not looking for love and the air is filled with talk of politics.
Young people in south Shropshire had the chance to quiz politicians at a political speed dating evening at Craven Arms Community Centre.
The fast-paced event was put on for as many young people as possible to have some face-to-face time with local decision-makers – by applying the principles of speed dating.
With a strict time limit on each table, people aged between 10 and 25 were invited to make their feelings known and ask challenging questions of their short-lived "political dates".
They included south Shropshire MP Philip Dunne as well as council officers, police, housing bosses, school governors and local business leaders.
Richard Morley, chief executive of the South Shropshire Youth Forum, said: "The main issue discussed was the threat to youth provision, not just in Ludlow (at Ludlow Youth Centre, where some rooms are set to be converted into offices for council staff) but in Craven Arms, where there's a girls group under threat.
"It was mainly about cuts really," added Mr Morley.
"The police were there and they talked about Craven Arms police station closing," said Mr Morley.
"It was quite positive. Young people said they still wanted to have a voice and wanted to do this every year."
He added: "They don't want to be seen in a negative way in their community, they want to do things in the community.
"The only disappointing thing about the night was that no elected Shropshire Council representatives turned up.
"It was a bit of a shame that young people couldn't at least ask why certain decisions were made."
Mr Dunne , who took part in the event, said: "This was a really innovative way to connect young people with the political process and I was asked some penetrating questions – in particular what I could do to help young people in Craven Arms participate more in life in the town.
"One conclusion we came to was to encourage the Youth Forum to meet more regularly with local politicians and their MP."
All the issues discussed will be recorded and used to inform local residents and organisations of the priorities for young people living in their area.
The night followed a similar event for the year 10 pupils at Lacon Childe School, Cleobury Mortimer, last week. It is the first time that the youth service has held such events for five years, Mr Morley, said, but in the past they had helped to shape local priorities at the time.
He said: "We are hoping that history will repeat itself, that people will start to listen to young people and the concerns they have.
"All too often young people lose out because they are an easy target – they have no voice."
