On 22nd November 2013, I took part in the Children Commissioner’s Take-Over Day where I had the opportunity of ‘taking over’ the role of Chief of Wyre Forest District Council for the day. Attending various meetings such as the Worcestershire Health and Wellbeing Board, Local Enterprise Partnership, and Chief Executive’s Panel, I found the day invaluable and was able to take some of the big decisions surrounding issues such as health and economic regeneration on behalf of my local community.

I also had an insight into the views of Worcestershire’s strategic leaders on some of the biggest issues facing our communities here in Worcestershire, which has proven to be of invaluable use. I was also able to interject at various points alongside the other young people who were also there shadowing Worcestershire’s other Chief Executives.

Undeniably, as with many other towns around the UK, with the decline of our carpet industry and the emergence of a larger retail service sector, Kidderminster is in a state of transition. With many changes taking place in the next few years that will have a significant impact on so many individuals and their businesses, it is all the more important to ensure that we plan for a future that is not only prosperous, but perhaps more importantly, one that is sustainable. With a great industrial heritage, Kidderminster has always been a great place to be proud of, and that is why it is important that Kidderminster has a secure future with which its citizens can also be optimistic about.

One of the things that were both equally surprising and reminiscent when I visited Kidderminster’s twin town Husum in the October mid-term recess 2013 was how the local economy was fueled by small independent businesses. Walking down High Street in Husum, I was impressed by the range of butchery, bakery, grocers and almost any other shop imaginable. The striking difference though was that it’s not the same as Kidderminster. Primarily, whereas Kidderminster has become host to a great variety of charity shops and supermarket chain outlets, Husum was full of small, independent business that had been set up over time.

As a member of Worcestershire Youth Cabinet, I hold the views and concerns of the areas young people of Kidderminster and the wider community very close to my heart, and that is why I too have concerns over the plans to regenerate the areas of Kidderminster Town Centre, especially those that will affect small businesses, in particular those based in Lower Mill Street and its surroundings.

Although in recent years, Wyre Forest District Council has placed a large emphasis on ensuring that Weavers Wharf Retail Park plays a central place in instigating economic prosperity, it is important that the other, more seemingly over-looked parts of the town are given access to enjoy a similar level of economic success. In actual fact, locations such as Blackwell Street and Lower Mill Street are where Kidderminster’s established small businesses have been operating from for a number of years, in some cases going back well over one hundred years.

What is planned now in regards to economic redevelopment in Kidderminster will not just affect the more established class of business owners, but it will also affect those young people whose career in the world of work is very much just beginning.

As a whole, Wyre Forest is extremely pro-active in providing positive opportunities for young people, but nevertheless we must ensure that after engaging in further debate, that the decisions that we make are those of a value consensus – a shared agreement between every stakeholder – councillor, resident and young person.

These are very exciting times, and I encourage everyone who has an interest in planning, or even if you do not, to have a say into this incredibly important issue.