Wokingham

Young people in the Wokingham district are set to head to the polls next month (December) in the forthcoming Youth Parliament Elections.

Voting in the UK Youth Parliament (UKYP) elections is set to take place in the Wokingham district between December 4 and 8. 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. A mobile voting bus will also visit participating secondary schools during the week to allow young people to cast their votes.

The youth parliament 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 five candidates Yan Couper-Harris, Shabana Karim, Tom Munro, James Steel and Adam Tyndall have been busy canvassing in the bid to become the district’s seventh youth MP (MYP).

Outgoing MYP Michael Burgess said: “I’ve really enjoyed my time as the district’s youth MP, some big things have happened this year and I’m sure the new MYP will work hard for young people in the Wokingham district. They are all excellent candidates. I think it’s really worthwhile young people voting to get the right person for the job to work for you.”

The five Wokingham candidates are:

#Yan Couper-Harris aged 16 from Woodley - Yan, a student at Bracknell and Wokingham Council, is campaigning for adult fares at 18 on public transport, improved leisure facilities for young people, more music rehearsal space and young people having a greater say in issues that affect them.

#Shabana Karim aged 14 from Earley -Wargrave Piggott School pupil Shabana feels racism and bullying are common issues for young people and this needs challenging. She is also campaigning for a chill-out pad for students and young people to hang out at.

#Tom Munro aged 16 from Sonning - Tom attends Bracknell and Wokingham College and he would like to see improved transport across the district (not just to Reading), improved youth provision including more skate parks and places to practice street-art as well as better leisure facilities and activities for young people.

#James Steel aged 15 from Earley - James attends Maiden Erlegh School and he would like better play areas and skate parks in the Wokingham district. He would also like to see improved safety for young people and more community support officers, adult fares at 18 and cheaper fares for young people on local public transport.

#Adam Tyndall aged 16 from Earley - Maiden Erlegh pupil Adam is campaigning for more affordable transport for young people, peace - both globally and in local neighbourhoods - and a greater say for young people.

The successful Wokingham candidate will attend national UKYP meetings including an annual sitting and regional meetings, take part in regular dialogue with ministers, including the prime minister and opposition spokespeople, and have their say on policy and programme development.

In the Wokingham district the MYP is supported by a representative group of young people known as Youth 10 who look at youth issues and solutions in the Wokingham district as well as being responsible for awarding £60,000 in funding to groups of young people who would like to develop projects that will benefit the local community.

Cllr Malcolm Bryant, champion for Wokingham youth and leisure, said: “This is a great opportunity for the district’s young people to select someone to represent them and make an impact on the lives of others living in the Wokingham district. The successful candidate will be the voice of the district’s young people and one of their jobs will be to challenge negative opinions of young people. They will be able to tell the decision makers what it’s like to be a young person living in the Wokingham district and help influence change and services. This is a golden opportunity for a young person to enter the world of politics and take part in the decision-making process.”

Wokingham District Council