Tabitha Rusden elected as Member of Youth Parliament

Tabitha Rusden has been elected Rochdale's new Member of Youth Parliament

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Tabitha Rusden, 15, is Rochdale’s new Member of Youth Parliament (MYP).

A student at Falinge Park High School, Tabitha was elected following a process that saw more than half of all of the borough’s eligible young people cast their votes.

Tabitha previously served as deputy to the outgoing MYP Ethan Marriott last year, and to his predecessor in 2014.

Fellow Falinge pupil Amelia Betham, 14, was elected as the new deputy MYP.

10,376 out of 20,203 young people aged 13-19 joined in the elections, which included votes from every secondary school, college, independent school, pupil referral unit and special school in the borough.

Tabitha was elected with 2,614 votes on a manifesto to campaign for work experience, affordable transport and the living wage.

Her victory was announced at a ceremony in Rochdale Town Hall attended by the Mayor and Mayoress, Surinder and Cecile Biant, cabinet member for children’s services, Councillor Donna Martin, cabinet member for culture, health and wellbeing, Councillor Janet Emsley, assistant to cabinet member for children's social care, Councillor Kieran Heakin, director of children’s services Gail Hopper, assistant director early help and schools, Sandra Bowness, and the external ballot count verifier, Jo Manfred.

Tabitha and Amelia were elected ahead four other nominees: Melanie Greenwood, 17, a former student at Matthew Moss High School, Sofia Forbes, 12, from Oulder Hill Community School, Lara Canham, 11, from Kingsway Park High School and outgoing MYP, Ethan Marriott, 16, a former Falinge Park student.