There may not be local elections in Newcastle this year, but the political parties in Jesmond will be watching with great interest to see how other parts of our region cast their votes tomorrow (May 1st, 2025). With its large student population, Jesmond has one of the north east’s youngest electorates, yet according to local councillors and activists, this demographic remains underrepresented in local decision-making. JesmondLocal spoke to councillors, campaigners and students about the need to change that – and how it’s already starting to happen.

Missing voices in local decision-making

“Jesmond is home to a large population of young people, including many students,” says James Coles, a Liberal Democrat councillor in North Jesmond. “Yet the voices shaping local policies are largely those of older, long-term residents.”

Labour councillor Milo Barnett, who represents South Jesmond, agrees. He says the transient nature of student life plays a big role. “Students often live in Jesmond for only a few years and may not be aware of or registered to vote in local elections,” Barnett says. “Long-term residents, who are typically older, are more engaged because they see the long-term impact of political decisions.”

This imbalance has consequences. Local issues such as housing regulations, rubbish collection, public transport and street safety affect young people directly, but their views are often left out of the conversation. Coles stresses the importance of recognising how local politics shapes daily life, urging students to take part even if they’re only in Jesmond for a short time. “Their votes and voices can shape the community,” he says.

Younger leaders showing the way

Despite these challenges, some young people are defying the trend. Joe Morris, a 19-year-old politics and international relations student at Newcastle University, is active in the local Labour Party. For him, involvement is a way to both give back and grow personally. “If you’re active in your local area, you’re able to hear what other people are thinking and know what the real issues are,” he says.

For Sarah Peters, a Green Party activist and NHS doctor, it’s the link between politics and social justice. “I’ve cared and campaigned for environmental causes since I was a child,” she tells JesmondLocal. But her experience in the health service showed her that “social and environmental justice are two sides of the same coin.”

She points out how climate issues, like heatwaves and flooding, disproportionately affect vulnerable groups, such as renters or disabled people. True environmental justice, Peters argues, must also mean economic, racial, and social justice.

Making politics more accessible

If young people aren’t showing up to meetings or at the polls, is it because they don’t care… or because the system doesn’t speak to them?

“Young people, and people more generally, are increasingly disengaging from politics because it is done to them,” says Peters. “Politicians are viewed as outsiders, separate to their community, who come in and decide how change should happen. This is an enormous, missed opportunity. We’re all political experts, because every minute of our lives is influenced by politics.”

She says she believes that political parties must do better at connecting the dots, between local issues like housing, national policy like austerity, and even global events. “It’s understandable that someone working all hours on a minimum wage job just to make ends meet might perceive activism on environmental issues, for example, as a distraction. But these issues are all connected. Our challenge is to communicate that in a way that empowers people to be the means of change.”

Social media can be a powerful tool for this, says Coles, who admits traditional outreach methods like leaflets and Facebook aren’t cutting it anymore. “We need to move with the times to reach as big an audience as possible,” he says. Barnett adds that using personal networks and talking about issues that matter to young people – such as climate change and public transport – can be even more effective than political slogans.

Practical ways to get involved

So, what can young people in Jesmond actually do to get involved?

“There are thousands of letterboxes, and only three councillors in North Jesmond, so we rely quite heavily on a team of very willing and very kind volunteers,” says Coles. Even simple tasks like leafleting or managing social media accounts can make a difference.

Barnett outlines a range of options for those wanting to dive deeper: attending ward and council meetings, writing to local councillors or MPs, responding to public consultations, or even starting their own campaigns. “Young people can do all sorts of things,” he says. “And they don’t have to take over their lives. Students can do political activities in the evening, when they can just grab a pack of leaflets to deliver to one or two streets.”

Morris recommends tapping into university political societies or reaching out to student representatives. “If you want to get involved, start by talking to people already engaged,” he says. “A quick online search can connect you to local groups.”

While the local elections – like tomorrow’s – held in May tend to generate the most attention, they also overlap with exam season, making it a tough time for students. But Barnett says the students who do participate are deeply committed. “They treat the local elections almost like a university module that gives them a lot of interesting experiences.”

Call to action

Everyone we interviewed agrees: Jesmond’s political future depends on making space for younger voices. Coles encourages students to “look beyond national and international politics” and engage with local issues. “Reach out to your councillors—we’d rather see you engaged, even if you disagree with us, than disengaged entirely.”

Barnett echoes the call: “Do what you can and get involved in what matters to you. It’s rewarding, helps you make friends, build connections, and contribute to your local community. And your voice needs to be heard.”

Peters believes that the solution lies not just in persuading young people to care about politics, but in changing politics to care more about them. “It’s not that young people aren’t politicised, it’s just that most political parties aren’t speaking to their concerns.”