Scrutiny Feedback – Cardiff Youth Council

Environmental Scrutiny Feedback – Making Cardiff Greener and Cleaner Together

July 4, 2025Cardiff Youth Council

Cardiff Council’s Environmental Scrutiny Committee recently discussed important topics about protecting Cardiff’s environment and improving city life. Issues included boosting recycling efforts, managing waste effectively, enhancing biodiversity (which means protecting plants and animals), and improving transport options like cycling and walking. The committee examined progress on ‘One Planet Cardiff,’ a plan aimed at making Cardiff a sustainable city that protects its environment for future generations.

Other areas of attention included tackling flooding risk around Cardiff through better management techniques, keeping streets clean, and ensuring safe, accessible public toilets. The council is also exploring ways to better plan new developments, ensuring they benefit communities and protect nature. The committee wants Cardiff to continue growing sustainably, balancing building needs with protecting green spaces and wildlife.

These discussions affect all young people in Cardiff by shaping the kind of environment they will live, study, and play in. Improvements in recycling and waste management mean cleaner parks and streets. Better cycling paths and footpaths provide safer, healthier ways for young people to travel to school and explore their neighbourhoods.

Emphasizing biodiversity and green spaces ensures that young people will continue to enjoy outdoor areas to play and learn about nature. Additionally, reducing flood risks helps to keep homes and schools safe during harsh weather, which is increasingly important due to climate change. Overall, these initiatives are designed to help Cardiff become a safer, cleaner, and more enjoyable place for children and teens.

This summary was created using AI to help make council information easier to understand. If you’d like to read the full original document, you can find all meeting packs here: https://cardiff.moderngov.co.uk/ieListMeetings.aspx?CommitteeId=143&LLL=0

Environmental Scrutiny Feedback – Making Cardiff Cleaner and Greener

June 16, 2025Cardiff Youth Council

The Environmental Scrutiny Committee met to discuss several important topics aimed at making Cardiff a healthier, cleaner, and more sustainable city. They talked about waste and recycling, ensuring that more of Cardiff’s waste is recycled and used again instead of going to landfill. Members also discussed improving the city’s cycling and walking paths, making it safer and easier for everyone to travel without a car. The council looked at flood management plans to protect homes and neighbourhoods from flooding, especially during heavy rains. They reviewed strategies to protect wildlife and boost biodiversity across parks and green spaces in Cardiff. The meeting also covered street cleaning, focusing on keeping neighbourhoods tidy and pleasant to live in, and the importance of sustainability in everything the council does, fostering a better environment now and for future generations.

These decisions are important because they help make Cardiff a healthier and safer place for you to live. Improved cycling and walking paths mean you can travel safely to school, friends’ homes, and local parks without needing a car. Better recycling and waste management help protect the environment, ensuring nature and parks around you stay clean and healthy. Efforts to manage flooding will keep your neighbourhood safe during heavy rainfall, protecting your home and community. Improving biodiversity means you’ll see more wildlife and healthy plants across local green spaces, making outdoor activities more enjoyable.

Economy and Culture Scrutiny Feedback Oct 23, Future Plans for Parks and Leisure

May 29, 2025Cardiff Youth Council

The Economy and Culture Scrutiny Committee talked about important changes and ideas for parks, leisure, sports, and tourism in Cardiff. They discussed making sure Cardiff’s parks and facilities keep improving and stay safe, welcoming, and fun places for everyone to enjoy. A big topic was finding new ways to pay for improvements and upkeep of parks, buildings, sports pitches, and playgrounds around the city.

They also discussed the need to encourage more people, especially younger residents, to use parks and leisure facilities by making them safer, cleaner, and easier to access. The idea is to support healthy living, sports activities, and community well-being.

The Council talked about partnering with other organisations, including local sports groups, community clubs, and businesses, to help manage and fund facilities. By doing this, they aim to offer improved services and more opportunities for local people to participate in sports, culture, and events.

These decisions matter because local parks, playgrounds, and leisure facilities are places many young people use regularly. Improving these spaces means you can enjoy better sports pitches, fun playgrounds, safer skate parks, and community places to meet friends and family. If parks and leisure facilities improve, young people will have more chances to be active, healthy, and involved in their communities.

The council wants to make sure parks and leisure centres are safe and welcoming so that children and teenagers across Cardiff feel able to visit and enjoy them regularly. They are looking at new ideas for funding because managing these spaces well means they’ll be able to keep them clean, safe, and pleasant long-term.

Children and Young People Scrutiny Feedback, Improving Education and Youth Services in Cardiff

May 29, 2025Cardiff Youth Council

The Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee recently met and discussed important services and initiatives that affect children and young people in Cardiff. Topics included improving educational outcomes, supporting young people with special educational needs, safeguarding children and young people’s welfare, and enhancing youth services and play opportunities.

Education-wise, discussions focused on making sure schools provide inclusive support for all students, especially those with additional learning needs. There was also talk about improving school attendance rates and reducing exclusions by making learning environments more supportive and understanding of children’s challenges.

In social services, the committee reviewed efforts to protect vulnerable children, including children in care, ensuring they have stable, supportive homes and access to quality healthcare and emotional support.

The meeting highlighted Cardiff Council’s dedication to better youth services, such as opening more places where young people can spend time safely, meet friends, and take part in activities that help them develop skills and confidence. Play services were also addressed, emphasizing the need for spaces where younger children can play safely and creatively.

These discussions matter because they shape how schools and youth services in Cardiff will support young people. Improvements mentioned could lead to more inclusive schools that better understand and help children facing challenges, greater protection and care for vulnerable children, fewer school exclusions, and better access to spaces for play and personal development. Ultimately, this means a safer, fairer, and more enjoyable city for all children and young people in Cardiff.

Cardiff Council Talks Youth Justice, Sports Equality, and Children’s Rights

May 28, 2025Cardiff Youth Council

SUMMARY OF WHAT’S BEEN DISCUSSED:

During their latest meeting, Cardiff Council’s Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee spoke about important steps to support youth, focusing on Youth Justice, sports access, and corporate parenting. They discussed:

– Youth Justice Services working to prevent young people from entering the justice system unnecessarily by using diversion programmes. Special attention is given to supporting young people with additional learning needs and those at risk of school exclusion. The committee acknowledged significant improvements in dealing with young people who enter the justice system for the first or second time, highlighting that less serious cases avoid court involvement where possible.
– Ensuring young people from all backgrounds have equal opportunities to access sports facilities, especially football pitches and indoor sports spaces, which are growing popular. Costs and accessibility remain key challenges. The committee was particularly concerned about making sports accessible for girls and marginalized groups and removing financial barriers such as expensive sports gear.
– An updated Corporate Parenting Strategy for 2025-2028 was discussed. Corporate parenting means the Council takes responsibility for young people in care, ensuring they receive stable homes, emotional support, education and opportunities to succeed. The Council aims to improve emotional wellbeing, foster better relationships, and provide safer homes, education and celebration of achievements for care-experienced children.

WHAT THIS MEANS FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE:

These discussions matter because:

– Youth justice improvements mean fewer young people will unnecessarily enter the court system. Instead, they will get support, education and intervention at the right moment. This can lead to better long-term outcomes, helping young people move away from crime and towards positive lifestyles.
– Improvements in sports equality could mean affordable, accessible sports available to all children and young people in Cardiff. Reduced costs and better facilities encourage participation, health, friendship and community spirit.
– The new Corporate Parenting Strategy means children in council care will see significant support in mental health, education, employment opportunities and stable living environments. This will help ensure all children in care can thrive and have positive futures, just like their peers.

CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE’S VOICES / INFLUENCE:

Young people’s views directly shaped many initiatives discussed:

– Young people in custody and care-experienced young people contributed their ideas and concerns to the Corporate Parenting Strategy, stressing the importance of stable relationships, feeling heard, and having their rights respected.
– Young people highlighted barriers to sports participation, influencing plans for affordable sports access, especially in more disadvantaged communities like Caerau and Ely.
– Bright Sparks, a group for care-experienced young people, contributed through regular meetings and a special awards event recognising their achievements. Young people said how valuable it was to be heard, supported, and celebrated in positive and meaningful ways.