YOUNG people are being given the chance to question senior politicians in an initiative designed to rekindle interest in local democracy.

County, district and town councillors will be on hand to answer queries from young people on how North Yorkshire is governed.

Question Time panels will be at various venues, when councillors are expecting to be quizzed on subjects that affect young people the most.

Issues including sport and leisure, substance misuse, sexual health, mental well-being, staying safe, finances and making a positive contribution are expected to be high on the agenda in a project coinciding with Local Democracy Week, from October 17 to 23.

Aimed at 13 to 26-year-olds, the move follows consultations with the county's youth as local government tries to shape services to meet their needs.

It is also aiming to address waning interest in local government that has seen a fall in the voter turnout at elections.

In parts of the county, the events will be filmed by young people working with the county council's Connecting Youth Culture department.

The footage will later form the basis of curriculum material for schools to use as part of citizenship programmes.

The county's executive member for corporate services, Carl Les, said: "It can appear to be a dry topic and we must adapt our approach to capture the interest of young people who, after all, are our future."