DEPUTY Mayor Leighton Rowlands is determined to utilise his role as youth champion to ensure the Vale of Glamorgan’s younger residents are able to have their voices heard.

Only 27 himself, the former Barry Comprehensive School pupil wants to subvert the stereotype that local politics is the prerogative of the older generation, emphasising the fact that political issues affect everyone.

"My priority is youth engagement and breaking down the barriers between councillors and younger residents, who often feel alienated by their local government. We will listen and we will to do as much as possible for younger people," he said.

"I hope that the youth council feel that they can come to me with ideas, as I’m one of the younger councillors and so hopefully slightly more approachable.

"I can then feed their idea into the cabinet and into the Conservative group.

"Members of the youth council were telling me at the AGM it can be scary talking to councillors and they can maybe find it difficult to engage with them.

"I’ve met them a few times so hopefully they’ve warmed to me. But it’s about more than the youth council - I want to reach the wider youth in the Vale of Glamorgan."

The council representative for Dyfan aims to give younger residents greater awareness of the role the council plays in local decision making, as well as encouraging them to play a more active role in discussions.

"We’re trying to bid for regeneration money so when that comes in it’s about speaking to youngsters and saying ‘what would excite you in Holton Road’, for example? ‘What would make you come back?’ Whether it’s about attracting the right shops or getting somewhere good to go for a drink or a coffee.

"Then we can feed those things back into the council to work out if we can factor it in somehow.

"We have to go to youth clubs or even talk to kids playing in the park. We need to find out if they like the park or what they would change about it.

"We need to get their voices heard and make sure they are not left behind.

Aside from pushing the youth cause, Cllr Rowlands is also committed to further improving his ward of Dyfan and has been actively looking into current issues in the area.

"I used to complain, now people can complain to me," added the Swansea University graduate.

"I used to be a frustrated resident, especially when it came to potholes.

"Politicians tend to say ‘we can’t do this because we’ve got no money’. Well let’s see if we can do things differently. I like to get things resolved because I put myself in the position of the resident.

"I’m so pleased I got elected because I really want to make a difference."