Wigan councillor inspired by town hall visit as a teenager wants voting age lowered to 16

Hindley Green representative James Palmer still recalls the impact that day had on him and the path he chose to follow as an adult.

His teacher won an award in 2003 and he was invited to attend a civic reception for her at Wigan Town Hall.

Coun Palmer said: “I was introduced to the then Mayor Coun Wilf Brogan who showed me his office and explained in great detail what his role as councillor and mayor was.

"I was amazed at what he had achieved, especially when he told me about the ambulance he raised money for, which was brilliant!

"There's even a photo somewhere of me sitting in the mayor's seat in the chamber in my high school uniform.

"It was at that moment I knew I wanted to be a councillor in my home village of Hindley Green.

"Fast forward to 2017/18, when I was at a Christmas event I had a chat with Coun Cunliffe who told me the process of how to become a candidate, which I did. If it wasn't for his encouragement, I would have never thought that I could become a councillor for Hindley Green.”

It was the memory of his visit to the town hall as a teenager that led him to back a motion put before the full council calling for the voting age to be lowered from 18 to 16.

He says he would have been keen to vote at that age and believes other teenagers should be given the opportunity to have their say.

The motion – which asked the council to write to the Government about considering lowering the voting age to 16 for future elections – was put forward by Tyldesley and Mosley Common councillor Jess Eastoe.

Before being elected, she was a youth worker and says there was “overwhelming support” for a lower voting age among people aged 15 and 16.

She also highlighted the work of Wigan and Leigh’s youth cabinet, where many of the candidates for the youth parliament had lowering the voting age in their manifestoes.

Coun Eastoe said: “The young people that I work with in my ward wanted me to do this. I am advocating for them and making sure they have a voice in the chamber.”

The motion was her maiden speech at full council and received cross-party support.

Coun Eastoe said: “I was quite honoured that people I barely knew did get up and speak. Councillors from across Wigan got up to speak on the merits and strengths of votes at 16, so I found it really powerful that more people than I expected supported it. I’m quite proud of that actually.”

It was approved by the councillors and a letter will now be sent to the Government.

Standing in the local elections in Hindley Green are: Susan Atherton (Conservative); James Thomas Palmer (Labour); Ray Peters (Reform UK); Mark Prescott (Independent); Gary John Skipworth (Liberal Democrats).

Candidates in Tyldesley and Mosley Common are: James Anthony Fish (Independent Network); Ashley McCarrick (Conservative); Farai Nhakaniso (Labour).