CHILDREN in the county will get the chance to experience the role of council workers and be able to win a cash prize as part of a new initiative launched by Mid Suffolk District Council.

CHILDREN in the county will get the chance to experience the role of council workers and be able to win a cash prize as part of a new initiative launched by Mid Suffolk District Council.

The scheme, being run in conjunction with local schools, invites children in each high school to submit a report to the council bidding for the Chairman's Youth Initiative Prize of £1,000.

The report should detail how the prize money would be used to provide lasting benefit to a school or local community.

Phil Tallent, Democratic and Legal Services Manager at the council, said: “This is a great opportunity for young people to learn how to plan a project, put together a convincing report and presentation and see a project to completion.

“At the same time the project should provide lasting benefit to a school or community.”

Schools have been sent details of how to submit their reports, and the timescales.

The reports will be reviewed, and if short-listed, their authors will be invited to make a brief presentation of their report to a panel of councillors and answer questions.

The panel will then make a decision and present cheques to the winning entries by the end of March 2007.