YOUNG people are being given a chance to make their voices heard and have a say about what happens in Halton as part of the Youth Parliament elections.

During an election on February 1 the polls will open to allow 11-18 year olds to vote for who they want to represent Runcorn and Widnes as a member of the UK Youth Parliament.

In November youngsters were invited to a Democracy Training Weekend, where they could nominate who they wanted to join the Borough Youth Forum and who they wanted to put forward as candidates for the UK Young People elections.

The member of the Youth Parliament for Halton 2006 was Kat Hughes. She said: 'I became involved with the Youth Parliament because I believe that the perception of young people is often misleading by the media and there is a barrier between adults and young people.

'I believe that young people should have a voice within their own communities, and have a right to make their own choices and decisions in all matters concerning them and their future.'

The UK Youth Parliament gives young people the opportunity to join in with the political process and to offer ideas to make a difference in their communities.

A spokesperson for the Youth Parliament said: 'The UKYP is made up of young people from all over the UK, and it is a body that is listened to by government and local councils.'

During the election ballot papers and boxes will be placed in all schools and the vote will be organised and scrutinised by the council's own election team.