Young members of Arun Youth Council will be finding out what life is like for their adult counterparts.

They will be taking on shadow Cabinet responsibilities following a "getting to know you" joint teambuilding day, taking place later this month.

Members of the youth council have invited the Arun District Council Cabinet members and scrutiny committee chairmen to join them for the day, taking place at the Lodge Hill Centre, near Pulborough.

Back in October, the youth council gave a presentation to a meeting of the full district council asking them for a budget to set up the event and, since receiving the council's unanimous approval, they have been organising the day.

The main objectives of the event are to enable closer working between the youth and adult councils.

Youth councillors are also devising and creating their own portfolios of interest and responsibility, reflecting many of those held by the senior adult councillors.

During the morning the two sets of councillors will take part together in outdoor teambuilding activities including archery, treasure hunts and party games.

Then individual youth councillors will get to quiz their adult counterparts about their responsibilities before selecting their specific shadow portfolios.

All eight members of Arun's Cabinet have promised to attend, as well as one or two scrutiny committee chairmen.

To enhance the teambuilding, everyone will travel to and from the venue by coach and there will be a buddy system in operation.

The day will be led by the chairman and vice-chairman of the youth council, Kyrsty Mewett and Simon Sladen, with help from their fellow youth councillors and some officers from Arun District Council.

Following the event, on July 18, the new youth council lead portfolio holders will be writing to their respective Cabinet members to request their written response to the questions and statements arising out of the youth conference held in March.

It is expected that following this event, senior councillors and lead officers will actively seek to involve and consult youth councillors as a matter of routine concerning issues included within their portfolios.