Islington’s first youth council is elected
More than 3,200 young people turned out across the borough to elect Islington’s first youth council last week.
The results of last Thursday’s election were announced by Islington Council chief executive Lesley Seary on Friday evening at the Health Living Hub in White Lion Street, Islington.
Eight teenagers aged between 14 and 16 were elected from the 23 candidates and they will now represent the views and aspirations of the borough’s young people on Islington Council.
They had spent the weeks leading up to the vote campaigning around the borough, visiting schools, getting t-shirts printed and setting up social media campaigns using You Tube, Facebook and Twitter to gather support.
Each candidate had their own ‘campaign crew’ made up of around eight other young people who supported their campaign and helped to promote them.
Polling stations were set up at schools across the borough on the historic election day with all young people aged 11 to 17 who go to secondary school or live in Islington, or are looked after by Islington Council, eligible to vote.
Three of the winning candidates were unable to attend the results evening due to a school trip, but the five present were congratulated by local figures including Islington Mayor Cllr Phil Kelly, council leader Catherine West and Islington North MP Jeremy Corbyn.
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Cllr Richard Watts, executive member for children and families said: “I am delighted to welcome my new colleagues to Islington Council. The youth councillors will really give young people a voice in the council and I am looking forward to seeing them shake things up. Commiserations to those who were not elected but all 23 candidates deserve congratulations for their hard work. They have all been a credit to the borough.”
The elected candidates are:
Benjamin Harrison 16
Chloe Bingham 15
Elliot Colley 14
Harry Tomes 15
Innocent Ogunmwonyi 15
Jasmine Martins 16
Miriam Owusu 15
Victoria Azubuike 15
