Warwickshire County Council is Young Local Authority of the Year 2021! Laura Pain and George McVerry (pictured) took the title in a strong field of teams at the first YLAY competition in over two years due to coronavirus restrictions. Their Argument paper – 'thoughtful and written with a deceptively light touch' – challenged the cynical rainbow branding of products to co-incide with Pride month in June every year. Some firms are exploiting the rainbow brand simply in pursuit of profit, they claimed. The pay-off, which rounded off this exceptional paper, was an exemplary piece of writing: 'Pride started as a riot, not a parade, not a party and certainly not for profit', chief adjudicator Barbara Millar said at the awards ceremony. Kent County Council (Fil Kamps and Amelia Kury) were runners-up, St Albans City and District Council (Megan Fox and Thomas Wrench) were highly commended, and City of London Corporation (Emily Grant and Mohamed Hussain) won a special award for their Pride of Place presentation on Tower Bridge. Click here for photos.

Our next event is the Autumn Young Scotland Programme (Dunblane, 28 September to 1 October), Click here to meet the delegates.

Looking ahead, the Autumn Young England and Wales Programme will be held in Lancaster, from 26 to 29 October (Click here for brochure and booking form), followed by the 2021 Young Ireland Programme (Dunblane, 23 to 26 November – click here for brochure and booking form).

The time has gone so fast it is hard to believe it, but next year is our 20th anniversary. The dates for events in this special year will be available soon.