Haringey Council is set to deepen its engagement with young people by formally involving the Haringey Youth Council in its decision-making processes, ensuring their voices are heard on issues that directly affect them.

The move comes after a Full Council meeting on Thursday 16 October 2025, where councillors discussed and reaffirmed their commitment to supporting the Youth Council. To further amplify the voices of young people, the council agreed to allow speeches and presentations from the Haringey Youth Council on key concerns by suspending Council Standing Orders 4.4, 11 and 15.1. These standing orders are the rules of procedure that govern how the council conducts its business.

As part of this commitment, the council resolved to:

  • Actively listen to young people and the Youth Council.
  • Use the Youth Council as a valuable resource for consultation, both in and outside of formal and Full Council meetings on issues relevant to young people where appropriate.
  • Ensure senior decision-makers, such as Cabinet Members or senior council officers, meet with the Youth Council to discuss relevant matters.
  • Provide references for Youth Council members for their role in the democratic process.
  • Support the Youth Council in widening their engagement and accessing regional or national initiatives.
  • Ensure the education of Youth Council members remains unaffected by their participation in council-related activities.
  • Strive to maintain a diverse Youth Council that represents the young people of Haringey.
  • Continue to develop the skills of the Youth Council to amplify the voices of young people.
  • Support councillors in engaging with the Youth Council regularly, culminating in an annual council-wide meeting.
  • Promote the participation of young people in local democracy and ensure they are at the heart of decision-making.

The council also noted that the Youth Council election period is scheduled to start on 15 October, with the launch of manifestos for candidates running for positions such as Young Mayor, Deputy Young Mayor, Youth Council Chair, and Youth Council Deputy Chair. Members of the Youth Council will also represent Haringey on the London's Youth Assembly and UK Youth Parliament.

The Youth Panel and Elevated Youth SEND Forum have already contributed to decision-making by contributing to Scrutiny meetings, raising the concerns of young people around community safety, and engaging their peers through consultation which provided significant input in the Youth Strategy. To ensure the views of young people beyond the Youth Council are considered, the Youth Panel and Elevated Youth SEND Forum shared their findings with both Children and Young People's Scrutiny and Cabinet, widening the democratic participation of their community.

The council aims to ensure that Haringey has a diverse Youth Council that represents the young people of the borough, although the reports pack does not specify the current composition.

The agenda for the meeting and the reports pack are available online.