New member of youth parliament for Rochdale borough

Anita Okunde has been duly elected the Member of Youth Parliament for this year, after being announced the elected candidate at Rochdale Town Hall on Wednesday 13 February.

The eagerly anticipated election result to find out who would be the next member of youth parliament (MYP) for the borough was announced with the Mayor of Rochdale amongst the excited friends and families of the candidates.

The final six candidates have been out campaigning for votes over the past few months and voting has been taking place up and down the borough in schools, youth centres and online.

The event is organised by Rochdale Youth Service who work with young people and schools to ensure that campaign information and ballot papers are in all schools.

To a drumroll from the enthusiastic attendees it was announced that 9,448 votes were cast in the election and that Anita Okunde, with 2,219 votes, was duly elected the Member of Youth Parliament and Louis Tweedale, was elected Deputy Member of Youth Parliament for the borough.

Speaking on her victory Anita said: “I am so honoured to be the new member of youth parliament for the borough. Thank you to all the young people who participated in the vote and those that voted for me, I will work hard on my manifesto points and I’m really looking forward to my year in the role.”

Anita’s manifesto points are furthering the youth cabinet’s work on mental health support for young people, knife crime prevention and support and work experience opportunities for all young people.

 

 

Councillor Kieran Heakin, cabinet member for children’s services said: “All the candidates should be really proud of their achievements. I’m pleased to see so many schools supporting this election and events like this go a long way to laying the foundation of young people being interested in voting and choosing people to represent them in local and national government. Louis has been wonderful this past year and Anita was a very supportive deputy so she will take some great skills and passion in to her term and I wish her all the best.”

Outgoing member of youth parliament Louis Tweedale reflected on his year in office at the start of the election ceremony. He said he was really proud of his work on his three manifesto points; getting young people mental health support early, developing more activities for young people to do and more work experience/apprenticeship opportunities, and that a being able to visit the House of Commons and debate was a “breath-taking” experience.

As a thank you for his hard work during his term Gail Hopper, director of children’s service at Rochdale Council, presented Louis with an award and thanked him for his tireless and passionate work in giving young people across the borough a voice.