Does Not Compute...

Anne Jones, Southend’s children and learning councillor, suggested the rise in unintentional injury was linked to children climbing tall and dangerous structures – such as the former Empire theatre in Alexandra Street.

She added the stress of exams was causing children to suffer mental health problems but the council was working hard to tackle issues like self-harm and bullying.

That's nice, but couldn't they fix the streetlights and take away the rubbish first?

I thought it was what we paid them for, after all...

Mrs Jones said: “We try to ensure children don’t feel stressed coming up to Christmas, but as a parent who has been through this three times with GCSEs and twice with A-levels, I can understand how difficult it is.

“I spoke to a parent only this week who said their child was stressed over the Christmas holidays just over the thought of mock exams in January and February, and the same goes for A-level students writing their personal statements for university.

“They are children but we are asking them to be grown up and consider their futures at the same time as coping with abject uncertainty.”

Yes. It's called 'growing up'.

She added: “Bringing up teenagers is difficult for this generation of parents because we didn’t have these influences (on the internet) when we were young,” she said.

“It shows why we should have young people very much involved in leading us.”

Wait, what? They can't cope with exams, but you want them to take the lead?

Is it me, or..?