PINT-SIZED politicians took their seats on their new school council yesterday, as primary pupils gained a taste of democracy.

St Joseph's RC Primary School, in Gilesgate, Durham, has been gearing up for the election of children to a school council for the past few weeks, as youngsters created fliers and leaflets advocating manifestos and campaigns.

On the school council, children can have their say on issues affecting the school or responsibilities for projects such as raising money for playground equipment.

The wheels of democracy are also turning in Chester-le-Street, where Newker Primary School is in the process of electing pupils to act as chairman, secretary, treasurer and vice chairman for its new council.

Before the summer holiday, elections were held for seats on the council and voting booths, pencils, polling station banners and ballot boxes were donated by the district council.

Pupils from each year group counted and witnessed the votes while other children had created publicity for the elections and by writing letters to parents explaining what was happening at the school.

Mandi Jones, school council link teacher, said: "The publicity campaigns that the children devised were extremely creative.

"Many children created publicity posters in their own time, which they displayed around the school and year three children were keen to make sandwich boards, but these proved a bit too cumbersome."