Pupils elected to East Sussex Youth Cabinet
On the 14th December 2009, Billy Boots in year 9 and Mel Camp in year 11 were both elected as members of the East Sussex Youth Cabinet for the Lewes Coastal constituency. Their election follows weeks of campaigning, which saw them on the campaign trail to promote their cause across a week of assemblies at Tideway school and throughout the Peacehaven Community. Billy and Mel will now sit on a youth cabinet of eighteen young people from across East Sussex to represent the views of young people at County Council level.
The elections took place at secondary school and sixth form colleges from the 23rd November until the 4th December, with Billy and Mel standing to represent young people in from East Saltdean to Seaford. Both students worked incredibly hard to secure their seat, with Billy focusing his campaign on entertainments for young people and youth workers, whilst Mel drove hers on job opportunities, the price of public transport and the use of empty premises for community meeting spaces.
Elections at PCS took place on Friday 4th December with a fantastic 87% turnout of PCS students casting their vote, making it one of this highest in the county - 27% greater than the last national elections in 2005 and 42% greater than the last County Council elections in 2009!
Following their election a vote was held by the Members of the East Sussex Youth Cabinet on Sunday 28 February 2010, leading to Mel being elected on to the UK Youth Parliament. Fourteen young people stood for the three UKYP positions, allocated to East Sussex and so it is a credit to Mel that her speech inspired her peers to elect her to represent them at national level.
We look forward to Billy and Mel establishing themselves in their roles and wish them all the best in representing their constituents in two significant decision making bodies.
