YOUNGSTERS from around Eastleigh attending this week's flagship youth conference have been promised the political clout of the borough's MP behind them.

Liberal Democrat David Chidgey, pictured, will be out to prove he's in touch with local young people when he addresses tomorrow's major talking-shop dealing with their concerns.

The conference - dubbed In Touch - is the first such forum in Eastleigh. It will see around 60 young people converge on the council chamber to tell civic leaders what they think about life in the borough.

Mr Chidgey will be presenting the results of his own survey to the conference in a bid to highlight the needs of local youth.

The survey of the area's 18-to-25-year-olds highlighted criticism of public transport, job-training schemes, university tuition fees and concerns about the environment.

Mr Chidgey has urged civic leaders to take steps to combat such problems.

He said: "Young people in Eastleigh have told me that too often politicians just seem to ignore them.

"Many wrote to me at length and their views on many key issues should be listened to and acted upon.

"The youth conference can show through follow-up action that young people in Eastleigh are being listened to.

"This is a challenge that politicians must take up if they want young people to engage in the political process."