Perth Voice Interactive

VINCENT is no longer home to the youngest councillors in WA; local school kids have been heading along to Bayswater council chambers to play mayor as part of their learning about government and citizenship.

Year 4, 5 and 6 students from Morley and Hillcrest primaries have been dropping by to hold mock meetings where they learn about decision-making and what local government does.

Elections are held at school to pick students who play the role of councillors, and young Trent Mitchell from Morley was given the mayoral chains by real mayor Barry McKenna.

Cr McKenna hopes it inspires a couple of the kids to sign up for council duty one day: “I remember being a young student and visiting local government council chambers and thinking that’s what I want to do when I grow older. It obviously influenced me as here I stand today as the mayor of Bayswater.”