Government to spend £2 million on twenty more Young Mayors

The Government are spending £2 million on giving budgets to 20 "Young Mayors" - 11-18-year-olds chosen in elections set up in local schools. So far there are 12 Young Mayors in various Councils around the country and the Government would like to encourage more.

Some of the money may end up being well spent. But a far more effective way of measuring what young people want is whether or not they use the facilities. Some dreary municipal Youth Centre that is largely unused is a waste of money whether or not it is initiated by a Young Mayor.

This sounds like another cumbersome New Labour gimmick. I'm pretty sceptical about this cult of youth in general and wrote a piece for The Guardian's Comment is Free website which they put up yesterday. I don't go around the place looking for facilities "by and for" 43-year-olds.