Wokingham

Voting in the UK Youth Parliament (UKYP) elections is set to take place in the Wokingham district between November 28 and December 2. Hundreds of young people aged between 11-and -18 years will cast their votes at the annual elections and polling stations will be found at local schools and youth centres across the district during that week.

The UKYP gives young people a voice at the heart of both national and local government and is supported and organised locally by Wokingham District Council’s youth service. Before the elections take place, the four candidates - Michael Burgess, Hattie Stockley, Shabana Karim and Georgia Stevens – are busy canvassing in the bid to become the district’s sixth youth MP (MYP).

The four candidates are:

Michael Burgess aged 15 from Winnersh, Wokingham - A pupil at the Forest School, Michael is the current deputy MYP. He will be campaigning for a youth café in Wokingham, promoting greater access to sexual health advice in and around the district as well as more youth shelters.

Hattie Stockley aged 16 from Wokingham - Hattie attends the Holt School and she will be campaigning for cheaper transport for young people, more safety measures for young people including personal alarms, as well as more youth workers out on the streets.

Shabana Karim aged 13 from Earley - Wargrave Piggott School pupil Shabana will be campaigning for action against bullying in schools and throughout the district, as well as action against racism. She also hopes to introduce a healthy lifestyle campaign.

Georgia Stevens aged13 from Wokingham - Georgia is a pupil at the Holt School. She will be campaigning for more facilities and activities for local youth clubs like Barkham Youth Club, which she attends. She also wants to see more events taking place where young people from across the district could meet.

The four candidates have each made a film outlining their election manifestos. Over the coming weeks they will be showing their films to other local Wokingham youngsters before they head to the polls to choose their new youth MP.

Cllr Malcolm Bryant, Wokingham District Council’s champion for youth and leisure, said: “The four young people have now filmed their election manifestos and will spend the next few weeks on the campaign trail. I am sure they will each make a very positive contribution in giving young people a voice and I wish them all good luck in the forthcoming elections. Some great ideas have been put forward in their manifestos – and it’s now time for the young people to cast their vote!

“I am delighted with the system of having a youth parliament and hope this will stand them in good stead in a few years’ time when they might like to enter politics either nationally or locally.”

Wokingham District Council ~ November 4, 2005