The results of Big Vote 2007, the ballot to select the 12 young people who will take up the elected seats on the county’s Youth Cabinet, have been announced.
During two weeks in November voting took place at 45 different voting stations in schools, colleges, and youth projects across East Sussex in Big Vote 2007. Nominations for the Cabinet, which is a key voice for all young people in the county, closed in October and a total of 25 young people contested the seats.
Of 33,418 young people on the electorate from the schools taking part, the vote turnout was almost 50% - the second highest in the country based on last year’s figures.
Each district in the county has their own elected representatives: two candidates have been elected each of the areas of Wealden, Rother, Hastings, Lewes, Eastbourne North and Eastbourne Central.
The candidates who have been selected for the Youth Cabinet in Big Vote 2007 are:
Lewes
- Liam Francis
- Katrina Mather
Wealden
- James Davies
- Tahrema Chowdhury
Eastbourne North
Eastbourne Central
- Hannah Sayers
- Freddie Poulton
Hastings
- Jess Hanson
- Oliver Fawcett
Rother
- Giles Grainge
- George Morris
The candidates who have been selected as East Sussex representatives nationally through the UK Youth Parliament are:
Lewes and Wealden
- Liam Francis (MYP)
- James Davies (Deputy)
Eastbourne
- Hannah Sayers (MYP)
- Lauren Sharpe (Deputy)
Hastings and Rother
- Jess Hanson (MYP)
- Giles Grainge (Deputy)
The Youth Cabinet members represent young people on issues such as transport, drugs, the environment, sexual health, bullying and exams. Three members of it also represent the county at a national level in the Youth Parliament.
The Cabinet meets once a month and representatives have also made important contributions to meetings at county hall, including the Children’s Trust and the 11–19 Strategy Partnership group and with partners including the health service and the police.
Cllr Meg Stroude, the county council’s Lead Member for Children and Families, said: “I am delighted that so many young people across the county have taken part in this election. My congratulations to those who have been elected and my commiserations to those who campaigned but on this occasion were not successful.
“The Youth Cabinet has become a very important and valuable voice for young people in the county, and they have done so much to raise awareness of issues facing young people.”
This year the Youth Cabinet carried out a survey of young people in the county and identified that bullying, exam pressure and safety were key issues. Among its projects the Youth Cabinet have also begun a campaign encouraging schools to sign up to an anti-bullying charter.
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