19 year old in charge of Children’s Services for Leicestershire Council

And he had the best CV? what were the rest like?

All over-there are more now as other posters have said.
Can’t link the story but have a look at Gloucestershirelive.co.uk’s story about councillors not knowing what they are doing.

FFS! Do Reform voters/MPs/councillors understand SEN provision or believe that children with SEN need additional educational support that costs money?

It's fucking awful.

My point was that the vetting process that you seem to have such confidence in clearly isn't up to much.

You can call it ageism if you like. Personally, I don't think that a 19yo who has only just left school has the experience to be able to add much value in that kind of role. I have a 19yo of my own, and she is amazing...I would entrust her with a lot of things, but I would not think she was ready at her age to have the lead on strategic oversight for children's services.

The brain is still developing at that age. Personally, I find it bizarre that we don't even allow 16yos to have the vote because they are too young, and yet by 18 or 19, they are presumed mature enough to take on roles involving significant responsibility? I would prefer to see a minimum age for councillors with a portfolio.

As for this young man, he has already failed imo by choosing to stand for Reform. I don't need to see any more. But I wouldn't want a 19yo in that kind of role from any party personally.

This is what I was going to say. I know nothing about this LA but I hope there are some decent people employed by the authority who know what they are doing and are allowed to get on with their role.

Isn't he the councillor responsible rather than running it? It's completely different. Each councillor takes a particular area of council work as their speciality but it means nothing in terms of the actual work

Mhairi Black didn't hold any positions beyond her elected one, which was fine. Being a councillor or an MP or an MSP is fine to a point as young people CAN have experience in various areas and can therefore be an important voice or conduit. Age doesn't necessarily give you that, eg a young person who is care experienced can be more valuable than a middle-aged person who isn't on that particular issue. Being handed a portfolio is different though and I have a problem with MPs and MSPs in general being shuffled around positions they don't know anything about never mind the prospect of people just out of school. As an example, half the Scottish ministers who have held half the roles for no real reason.

You can also obtain experience in different ways as a councillor that doesn't require you having so much responsibility in a crucial area so the 'gaining experience' angle doesn't stack up.

I agree, he has little experience. But unless someone is given a chance then they don't get any experience, like Maihri Black.

I'll just leave this here

He's 19 and already has a degree?

Surely that issue is the party he represents not his age then?
Whereas a 19 year old, recently experienced with the lack of facilities for example, is likely to vote very differently to a 50 year old who has become jaded about the youth

So what do you want, no police, no counselors, you would prefer a chaotic, free-for all anarchy?

I mean it is one thing to criticize and to point out individual failures, like the policeman you reference, but what about the general success of the country's infrastructure?

And this guy hasn't "failed" yet, but you're already all over him, for his age.

This is ageism.

But surely he’s the cabinet member for children’s services, that doesn’t mean he’s running it or is the director? (I fully agree though that he is too young for this regardless!)

Is that you, Charles?

Lol. That will be the same application process that selected a former police officer who had been sacked by the police for misconduct. I wonder what sort of "attributes" he demonstrated?!

Have you linked to any examples of this?

There would have been a formal application with required "attributes" and "experience" and there would have been an interview process. None of us were privy to any of that .

Clearly what I am saying is wait and see what those qualities might be. How is that not clear.

Yes, this.

It's fucking ridiculous. The lead member for adults is not much older either.

What a totally ridiculous decision. Unfortunately, I don't think this will make Reform voters sit up and think about the consequences of voting for this party, unless they have a SEN child who is affected by this appointment.

@Flyswats what qualities do you think those are?

I would give him a chance actually. They didn't vote him in because he was young, but because of personal qualities he displayed, which you're probably yet to witness.

Well, there is the one that was sacked by the police for misconduct. So that's a good start.

We cannot judge fully as we don't know who the other Reform councillors are. Some could have been worse, indeed probably some are.