Lowering the voting age supported by Bognor Regis Town Council

Matt Stanley, chairman of the policy and resources committee, submitted the motion to write to the town’s MP and the relevant minister requesting due consideration is given to lowering the legal voting age to 16.

“This council urges swift action is taken on this matter with a view to 16 year olds being given the opportunity to vote at the 2023 local elections,” the motion read.

Mr Stanley (LibDem, Marine) said 16 year olds could vote in Scotland and Wales and there was a ‘long list’ of things they were entitled to do including working full time, getting married and applying for a passport.

“If there is a member of the community who can do all these things then surely they should get the option to vote on who spends their money,” he said.

Four councillors supported the motion with three against at the committee meeting on Monday.

Cllr Stephen Reynolds (Con, Pevensey) called it a ‘waste of our time’.

He pointed out the low turnout at elections and said mandatory voting was ‘more beneficial’. “This is more of a national issue,” he said.

Cllr John Erskine (LibDem, Pevensey) felt by the time they reached 18 youngsters had ‘often gone past the point of being interested in politics’ but at 16 they might be more inclined to use their voice.

Cllr Henry Jones (LibDem, Orchard) agreed more teenagers might be more inclined to be engaged in politics if the age was lowered.

Cllr Adam Cunard (Ind, Htherleigh) didn’t support the motion and feared youngsters could then be pressured to vote and indoctrinated.

There were lots of things you couldn’t do until you were 18, he said, and there was a very low per centage of people paying council tax at 18.