Young people bring a new perspective to scrutiny

West Berkshire Council has appointed two young people to its Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee to give young people a real say in decisions that affect them.

Charlie Gale and Natasha Rowe became co-opted members at the Council meeting on 27 November and attended their first scrutiny meeting on 4 November.

Berkshire Youth will support them before, during and after meetings and help plan a workshop on effective collaboration.

Councillor Heather Codling, Deputy Leader of West Berkshire Council and Executive Member for Children and Family Services, said:

"I am delighted that we have been able to make these appointments. It is so important that young people have a voice in local issues and get the opportunity to help shape the services that we provide for them."

The appointments followed a competitive recruitment process, attracting applicants from across West Berkshire.  Councillor Dominic Boeck, Committee Chairman, was on the interview panel. He said:

"I was so impressed by the quality of the applications we received and how well all the young people answered our questions. I think that the appointment of Charlie and Natasha is a positive move that will bring a fresh perspective to scrutiny and will challenge us to consider the voice of young people as part of everything that we do."

Scrutiny aims to improve public services, tackle under-performance, ensure effective use of funds, and hold decision-makers to account.The Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee, created in May 2025, oversees all local authority services for children and young people. It includes nine back-bench councillors, several co-opted members representing parent governors and dioceses, and is chaired by an opposition member, bringing diverse perspectives, especially on education.