Peel Commissioners is starting a youth commissioners scheme to try and encourage young people in the town to learn about politics.

The local authority’s Youth Representative Katryna Baptist believes it will help children have more ‘pride’ in Peel as well as taking some of the ‘scariness’ out of it.

The scheme will target 12 to 17 year olds at Queen Elizabeth II High School, but there are hopes to engage primary school age children as well.

Mrs Baptist said she wants to help them understand the decisions that will affect them.

‘I just thought it would be a really good idea to get young people involved in politics,’ she said.

‘I didn't really get any teaching about that at school, and I just thought it would be an opportunity for the young people to get involved and learn a little bit about what it's like.

Asked if she thought other local authorities should do the same thing, she said: ‘Yeah, I think it's a great idea.

‘I've spoken to Devon [Watson] from Douglas and we're going to do it slightly differently to them, but it was really good to get his input and their thoughts.’

The scheme was approved in principle by the board unanimously and no funding will be allocated until ‘detailed documentation’ has been brought forward.

Asked how the scheme will look in principle, Katryna added: ‘We will have little board meetings, and they can all sit around the table, have a chair, and learn how to pull ideas together and write motions, take votes and write minutes.

‘It's been an idea that's been brewing for a while, and now it’s at the point where the commissioners have approved the concept. However, it's probably not going to happen until at least September.’