The first eviction from the online democracy event 'I'm a Councillor, Get me out of Here!' has been confirmed... and last year's winner Cllr John Murphy is the first Cumbrian county councillor to be evicted in 2007.
Cllr Murphy, Labour member for Newbarns, received 8% of the vote - meaning he was behind the other four councillors, who all remain in the competition until the next vote tomorrow.
Cllr Murphy has been quizzed by primary and secondary pupils across Cumbria on issues including swimming pools, fostering and bladed football boots since Monday October 8th. But his answers proved to be the least popular with the online voters.
He said: "Hopefully the England rugby team will have better luck on Saturday in going for back-to-back titles, but you can't win them all. It's been another enjoyable experience finding out about what matters to young people in Cumbria and I wish the four remaining councillors the best of luck in carrying on with the competition."
Three of the four remaining councillors will also be evicted every day until Friday October 19th, with the last remaining councillor named 'I'm a Councillor Youth Champion' on Friday. They are:
- Cllr Keith Little (Labour, Maryport East)
- Cllr Olwyn Luckley (Lib Dem, Castle)
- Cllr Philip Chappelhow (Conservative, Penrith North)
- Cllr Elizabeth Barraclough (Lib Dem, Keswick and Derwent)
The questions are being posed and answered on the specially created website www.bigvote.org.uk. To view Q&As held so far, click on 'Guest Access' and then select Cumbria from the drop-down menu at the top.
'I'm a Councillor, Get me out of Here!' helps young people learn more about their local council and councillors and feel involved in their communities. It does this by giving young people the opportunity to turn traditional power structures upside-down. Young people choose the issues they want to discuss with councillors, ask the questions and importantly decide which councillor wins.
The event began on October 8th and will finish on October 19th. It is part of Local Democracy Week which runs from 15th - 19th October and aims to promote involvement in local politics/democracy to young people under 26 years of age. Almost every council in England, Wales and Northern Ireland took part last year, and ran events which encouraged young people to get more involved with their local council and community.
Notes
1. The following participating schools have all been provided with a comprehensive set of Local Democracy teaching materials:
Primary Schools:
- Ashfield Junior School, Workington
- Askam Village School, Askam-in-Furness
- Greystoke School, Penrith
- Heron Hill School, Kendal
- Holm Cultram Abbey CE School, Wigton
- Houghton CE School, Carlisle
- Lindale CE School, Grange-over-Sands
- Maryport CE Junior School, Maryport
- Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Primary School, Dalton-in-Furness
- Roose School, Barrow
- St Bega's CE School, Holmbrook
- St Begh's Catholic Junior School, Whitehaven
- St Patrick's C of E School, Kendal
- Stanwix Primary School, Carlisle
- Warcop CE School, Appleby
- Warwick Bridge School, Carlisle
Secondary Schools:
- The Lakes School, Windermere
- Millom School
- Newman Catholic School, Carlisle
- Ullswater Community College, Penrith
- Whitehaven School
2. I'm a Councillor, Get me out of here, is a multi-media event, devised by Gallomanor Communications Ltd, www.gallomanor.comand is part of the Take Part, Take Power Local Democracy Campaign www.localdemocracy.org.uksupported by the Local Government Association.
3. This is the 5th successful year for "I'm a Councillor". In 2006, 4,500 young people and 185 councillors took part, in 33 councils across England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
4. The 'I'm a Councillor, Get me out of Here!' website is a secure environment that can only be accessed by young people. Those wishing to see the site on a strictly 'look but don't touch' basis, can click on 'guest access' on the homepage www.bigvote.org.ukand choose Cumbria.
5. A full list of participating councils, and further background info, quotes, coverage from 2006 and electronic versions of logos can be found on www.bigvote.org.uk/pressThis includes radio packages covering the event, kindly reproduced with the permission of BBC Radio Kent.
6. Gallomanor Contact: Sophia Collins: sophia@bigvote.org.uk or Tel: 01225 869413
ENDS
Media enquiries to Gareth Cosslett, News Manager on 01228 606332