Polling day coincided with Stourport Youth PACT which was hosted at Stourport High school. The gallery consisted of selected pupils from year 9.
Issues raised included:
- Graffiti on the Barnfield road play area
- Proxy sales of alcohol on the Walshes
- Drinking/nuisance caused by people in their late teens at the shops on Burlish estate and loitering in their cars
- A desire for more variety of shops in the town and less empty ones!
- Somewhere to socialise in winter, like Bewdley Youth Cafe
- Lack of structured activities on Burlish Top/estate – young people have to walk to town centre/river side
- Request for Youth club at High school to be open more nights per week
- Lack of toilet facilities – pupils that live on Arley Kings side of river have to divert to the River Side car Park behind the Civic Centre when walking to or from school or use those in the Co-op.
The three issues voted for were:
- Request for a Youth Cafe
- Variety of High Street stores
- Structured activities/play area for Burlish
Perhaps the most interesting issue raised is number 2. As these pupils were 13-14 years old they could potentially live a life time residing in Stourport, it is very community minded of them to want shopping facilities improved in the town. Perhaps young people throughout the district should be invited to have their say on how their town and village centres should look in the future?
