Mayor interested in the views of young people
In itself a good idea to hear how children and young people see Havelberg and what suggestions they have. But to turn it into a new bureaucracy? This is exactly what Mayor Mathias Bölt proposed at the city council meeting on January 21, 2025 and the drafting of the “Youth Advisory Council” statutes (= local law) was referred to the Finance and Main Committee.
Many differences of opinion and questions arose in the discussion before the vote. Why, at the age of 10-17? What if someone has an 18th birthday? Wouldn’t age 12 be a better age? Oh, then the elementary school are left out. Children should experience democracy. But the advisory board should not be elected. That would be too expensive. Let’s appoint all class representatives from all schools to the advisory board – whether they want to or not. Oh, coming to the town hall in the evening is too late, well then we would have to schedule our meeting in the afternoon. Oh, since not all councillors are employed in the public sector, that wouldn’t work either, because the others have to work.
Of course, compromises could be found for all these issues. But why create yet another local law that entails new bureaucracy instead of inviting pupils to the town hall on a voluntary basis or going to the school to exchange ideas? You can do that at any time without having to make a new law.
The date for the consultation on the new Havelberg statutes had not yet been published by the town hall at the time of going to press. It will be published here in an update, as the consultation will be open to the public. Unfortunately not yet via video recording or broadcast. The topic will be discussed in more detail soon.
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