Children from Featherstone Primary School, Southall, took over Ealing council chamber on Wednesday, 16 October as part of a series of events to celebrate European Local Democracy Week.

Ninety children took on the roles of mayor, committee clerk and councillors at a mock council meeting. Year six student, Naman Salaria, was chosen as mayor for the debate.

The children, 10 and 11 year olds, debated the motion: "This council believes that the opening of a third runway at Heathrow Airport would be bad for Ealing" and, after intense discussion, the motion was carried.

They also debated how a budget of £300 should be spent on their school and decided to use the money to start up a breakfast club. The pupils and teachers were surprised when a cheque was presented by Ealing Council to support this project.

Earlier in the week students from Elthorne High School hosted a political speed-dating event where year 10 students took turns to grill Ealing councillors on a variety of topics including their vision for the local community and why they became councillors.

At the end of the event they voted Councillor Yvonne Johnson their favourite local politician, with Councillor Justin Anderson in second place.

And, as part of the week, all primary school pupils across the borough were invited to take part in the Mayor’s Competition, ‘If I were in charge’. The children sent in in pictures, sculptures and music to represent what they would do if they were Mayor for the day.

The winner will spend the day with the Mayor of Ealing, Councillor Kamaljit Dhindsa. They will be collected from school in the mayoral car and wear the junior mayoral robes for the day. They will also receive shopping vouchers as a prize.

Leader of the Council, Councillor Julian Bell said: "Local Democracy Week is a great opportunity to reach out to young people and show them what their local council does and how decision making works. Today’s school students are tomorrow’s voters and we want to show them how important it is to get involved."

"There are lots of ways that people can take part in local democracy, including attending committee meetings and taking part in public consultations. Most importantly, local council elections take place next May and I would encourage every resident to use their democratic right and vote."