Students at Great Torrington School have been pitching ideas on how to make their town a better place to live as part of a democracy event – but their ideas could bear fruit too.

The Torridge District Council event for Year 11 students at the school on Monday (March 17) was intended to give them an insight on how democracy works on a day-to-day basis.

They were asked to propose their ideas, followed by a prioritisation task focusing on topics including housing, local skills provision, active transport and opportunities for young people. 

With an assigned hypothetical budget of £10million, the teams had to consider the different people in their communities and their various needs to provide a balance between the two.

The activity sparked a spirited and engaging series of debates among the students, each contributing their own perspectives and insights.

The council said the ‘mind maps’ and suggestions generated by the students will be shared with Great Torrington Regeneration Board – so there’s every chance that some proposals could become a reality.

Issie, one of the students attending the event said: “It was nice to have our views listened to, because there’s so much that needs to be done in Torrington.”

Councillor Claire Hodson, deputy leader of the council, said: “It is extremely important that we engage and listen to the youth of today. The students spoke with passion and clearly had masses of pride for their local area.

“They debated with skill and pitched some fantastic ideas relating to the different ways they could make their town better. I would like to thank the staff and pupils of Great Torrington School for taking part this event and we hope that we can hold further sessions in the future.”

Councillor Cheryl Cottle-Hunkin, who is the TDC ward member for nearby Shebbear and Langtree as well as lead member for community and culture said; “The students I spoke with were really keen to improve the appearance of the town centre while keeping the historic feel.

“They also thought large murals would be a relatively easy, low-cost solution to give the area a creative boost. Others spoke to me about the need for a youth centre and dedicated sports centre to improve provision here.

“High quality restaurants were also a point of conversation and they were very supportive of the Globe Hotel project! It’s so important to have input from our young people and I hope some of them will consider becoming councillors in the near future.”

Charis Furness, subject lead for PSHE at the school, concluded: “It was really interesting for pupils to have the chance to experience democracy at a local level, with a real-world application that was meaningful to them.

“The ideas for regenerating the Torrington area were both inspiring and controversial; I think they came away with a sense of hope and optimism to think that their opinions do matter and their voices are heard.”