Throughout the Liberal Democrat conference, councillor Jon Neal has been posting his views here about events, speeches and fringe meetings.

Thursday is the last day of conference and time for the leader's speech. I'm sure Charles Kennedy will be in buoyant and bullish mood as he rallies the troops to go out and make the most of the Brent East by-election victory and our 28 per cent poll rating.

Now is an excellent time to recruit members and helpers to the Lib Dem cause.

I hope Charles will talk about how we are fast becoming the only alternative to Labour, how the Conservatives have failed, under Iain Duncan Smith, to perform in the House of Commons and on the streets of Britain.

Last night I attended another fringe meeting about engaging with young voters - Generation Y as they were dubbed by the organisers of the meeting.

Alison Goldsworthy, a former Chair of the youth and student wing of the party, addressed the meeting along with an academic, someone from the BritishYouth Council, a member of the UK Youth Parliament and a journalist.

Once again, the consensus (that I agree with) was that people should be allowed to vote at age 16 instead of 18. If you can pay taxes, get married, have children, and join the armed forces at 16, why on earth can't you vote?

After the meeting, a group of us twenty-somethings (and Sandra Gidley MP) at conference went for a meal.

As we talked about the week just gone by and the months and years ahead, it struck me that I was sitting with a number of people who will play a large part in the eventual election of the 330 or more MPs that we will need to form the first Liberal Democrat government.

I'm sure over the last week we have taken a big step towards that goal.

It has been an excellent conference, and I am looking forward to going out and knocking on the doors of the Haltemprice and Howden constituency (where I stood at the last election and turned a 7,514 Conservative majority into just 1,903) this weekend to recruit more members to the Liberal Democrats.

I have enjoyed writing this blog for a week. If you have any views on what I have said feel free to contact me at jon@jonneal.org

"Tuesday started well with a poll on the Guardian putting the Lib Dems on 28 per cent - our highest poll rating for something like 14 years! Clearly the Brent East by-election victory has contributed to that, but we have been doing well in the polls for a long time now.

"Sarah Teather MP addressed conference for the first time in her new role. She was excellent on the platform, comfortably and confidently addressing the packed-out hall. She will be a great MP for many years to come.

"I attended a few debates and fringe meetings today. We now have a new policy on assisting business and commerce - including abolishing the DTI and devolving many of its current responsibilities to regional assemblies. We also passed a strong motion calling for safer streets and roads. Every day, 10 people die on our roads. Many of them pedestrians, and many of them children. But they don't make the headlines like train accidents or aeroplane crashes.

"In the East Riding of Yorkshire, where I'm the councillor for a beautiful ancient market town called Howden, we are trying to implement 20mph zones around all schools in the area. If you are hit by a car travelling at 20mph you have a 95 per cent chance of surviving. If you are hit at 30mph you actually have a 50 per cent chance of being killed. Just a difference of 10 miles per hour is killing hundreds of school children across the country every year.

"Being at conference sometimes means you miss the news on the TV and don't hear very much of what is going on. So it was not until today that I heard that Glen Hoddle has been sacked from managing Spurs.I'm glad I had the 28 per cent poll story to cheer me up!"

"On Monday I watched a debate on the rights of people with disabilities across Europe and beyond. An interesting debate, during which a number of speakers reminded delegates that we must start at home and look at ourselves if we are to improve access for people with disabilities.

"All too often, it was said, constituency parties hold local meetings in rooms and buildings which many find inaccessible.

"After this debate, Charles Kennedy held a question and answer session in which he performed well - as usual.

"This afternoon I recorded an interview for TV about seats in Yorkshire that we're going to win at the next general election, in the wake of our Brent East success.

"Haltemprice and Howden is the most winnable seat in the region; we need just a two per cent swing to turn over the 1,903 majority of David Davis.

"But there are other prospects too, which, after Brent East, look much more hopeful: Colne Valley; Leeds North West; and one or two seats in Sheffield as well.

"Monday night was, for some, the highlight of conference: the Lib Dem Youth and Students Disco!

"A good place to watch MPs and peers letting their hair down, relaxing with some refreshments and dancing to the latest tunes from Justin Timberlake and The Sugababes.

"A sight to savour next time they come to visit your patch for a bit of canvassing."

"Most Sunday mornings are spent having a well-earned lie-in, followed perhaps by a full English breakfast and maybe a bit of leaflet delivering in my local council ward, Howden.

"At conference, however, Sunday is when you wake up with a muzzy head and get down to the conference centre to register and prepare for a week of debates.

"I ended up spending most of my day helping Jo Swinson, a rising star in the Lib Dems, to write a speech for a rally on Monday about re-engaging with young people in politics.

"'It takes more than electronic voting and MPs having weblogs,' she said. Which is quite true.

"Writing this blog each day of conference is not going to solve the lack of participation in politics. You reading this will already, I suspect, have something of an interest in politics.

"I think we need to select more young candidates to stand for parliament.

"Sarah Teather is, at 29, now the youngest MP. But a third of the population is still younger than she.

"And to an 18-year-old first time voter, 29 is a million years away.

"At the last general election, the Lib Dems had more candidates under the age of 30 than the other two major parties put together. We're heading in the right direction, but I think we could still do more."

"Normally on the first night of conference you catch up with people you haven't seen all year. But this time, it was good to see people I haven't seen since I was last campaigning in Brent.

"Saturday night, the traditional first event of conference, was the race night organised by the Lib Dem Youth and Students.

"A number of MPs and Peers turned up to support the youth wing of the party which played such an important part in the by-election victory last week.

"Everyone is in a good mood, buoyed by the success of Sarah Teather in Brent East. I'm looking forward to a good week of debates, fringe meetings and catching up with friends."