Jamie is voted new youth MP (From Bury Times)

Jamie is voted new youth MP

6:10am Monday 15th March 2010

• Print
• Email
• Share

A RADCLIFFE teenager will represent young people across the borough after winning the Youth Parliament elections.

Jamie Walker, of Coleridge Avenue, received 1,821 votes last week to become Bury’s new youth MP (MYP).

The 15-year-old is already the chairman of Bury Youth Cabinet and involved with youth services at the Y-Zone in Radcliffe.

He is also involved in politics and hit the headlines in December when he became the youngest member of Bury South’s Labour group.

Jamie, a pupil at Radcliffe Riverside High School, won the election after pledging to provide more free services for young people, including bus and tram travel, cinema and bowling, and other social events.

His duties over the coming year will include debating with young people locally, at North West regional meetings, and nationally at sittings of the UK Youth Parliament.

His deputies are 12-year-old Joshua Achumba, of Parrenthorn High School, and 13-year-old Tom Sharman, of Tottington High School, who received a combined total of more than 2,000 votes.

A record 9,014 votes were cast for 11 candidates at last Thursday’s election — 46 per cent of 11 to 18 year olds, higher than the 38 per cent of adults who voted in Bury’s last local election.

Councillor Diana Ashworth, Bury Council’s executive member for children and young people, said: “The fantastic turnout was down to the candidates’ positive campaigning and also to the support of the council’s electoral services department, which worked along side Connexions and Bury Youth Service.”

• Print
• Email
• Share