There was spirited debate in Penrith Council Chambers recently when the 2015 Junior Council Meeting was held.
The Junior Councillors debated two topics – Making Better Playgrounds, Parks and Sporting Fields, and, Amalgamation of Penrith Council with another Council.
The result of the debates showed that the Junior Councillors did not want to reduce the number of sporting fields in the city and that they wanted Penrith Council to remain as a single entity.
Penrith Mayor Councillor Ross Fowler, OAM said he was impressed with all the Junior Councillors who spoke at the meeting.
“The meeting was chaired by Junior Mayor Jesse Penza of Holy Family School in Luddenham and she did a tremendous job.
“The students were all excellent public speakers and had well-rounded arguments to support their case.
“It was one of the best Junior Council meeting I’ve ever been involved with and we’ve been doing them for 14 years.”
A record number of schools entered the competition this year with Council receiving more than 150 entries from 21 schools in the Penrith Local Government Area.
With 2015 being Penrith’s Bicentenary, students were asked what they thought Penrith would be like in 200 years time.
Entries were submitted as a video and there were also powerpoint presentations, drawings, paintings, poems and stories.
Cr Fowler said the educational benefits of the program are vast.
“The program has been particularly beneficial for teaching students how local government works for its community.”
