MEMBERS of Cornwall Council have agreed to lobby the Government to lower the voting age to at least 16 to give young people the chance to have their say in shaping the policies and decisions which affect them.

The decision has been welcomed by Cornwall’s three members of the Youth Parliament who say it is a major step forward for democracy.

Following the debate at a recent meeting of the full council, the council will now write to the Government asking for the voting age to be lowered to allow 16 year olds to vote at all further elections. It will also suggest that the 2017 council elections could be used as a pilot for the new approach.

Introducing the motion Andrew Wallis, the council’s cabinet member for children, said that he had been a long-time supporter of lowering the voting age and it was time the Government changed the law.

‘There were more than 12,000 young people aged between 16 and 17 years in Cornwall at the time of the last election,’ he said. ‘Many of these young people would have welcomed the opportunity to help choose the people to represent them over the next five years.

‘These young people have the right to fight for their country, to get married and to have children but are not allowed to take part in the democratic process. They can study politics in their classrooms but they are not allowed to exercise their right to vote in practice. This cannot be right.

‘Eighty percent of 16 and 17 year olds exercised their right to vote in the recent Scottish referendum, with many politicians said that they were among the most informed and articulate members of the public they met during the campaign. We need to support this motion and send a clear message to the young people in Cornwall that they do matter and we respect them and their views.’

The motion received overwhelming support from members of all political groups, with the vast majority of members backing the proposal to lobby the Government.

The council’s decision has been welcomed by Cornwall’s Members of the Youth Parliamt (MYPs).