Youth Mayor candidates launch election campaigns

The four hopefuls have just unveiled their manifestos and are about to embark on their election campaigns to win the hearts and minds of young people throughout the borough.

Their task is to captivate young voters aged from 13-19, who for the first time can use an e-voting system to poll their favourite candidate.

To register their votes students will need to log on to the website of Southend Children's Partnership by clicking on http://www.southendchildren.org/

The poll runs from Saturday 14th January to Saturday 28th January, 2012. Votes cast after the 28th will not be counted.

Southend-on-Sea Borough Council's Executive Councillor for Children and Learning, Councillor Mark Flewitt, said: "We are very proud of our young people in Southend and our Youth Council is increasingly becoming a force to be reckoned with.

"We wish our four candidates - Josephine Fisher, Zeeshan Mitha, Martin Skam and Christopher Page - every success on the campaign trail.

"We urge all young people in Southend to support them and cast their vote for the candidate of their choice when the time comes. Every single vote is vitally important.

"Those chosen as Southend Youth Mayor and Deputy will be given ceremonial chains for the year and will be invited to represent Southend Youth Council at various prestigious events.

"Most importantly they will get to work on issues with other like-minded young people."

Among other successes, the 2011 Youth Mayor Jake Inwood and his Deputy Brontea Boulton launched a campaign aimed at giving all Southend schoolchildren access to CitizenCards.

These are free personal identification and proof of age cards which double up as discount cards for many major national and some local retailers.

The 2010 Youth Mayor Adam Connolly and his Deputy Alex Bright scored a major victory for Southend's young people with their successful campaign to persuade bus operator Arriva to increase the age at which it starts charging adult fares.

Members of the Youth Council have been regular visitors to Parliament and British Youth Council conventions and its UK Youth Parliament representative attended the 2011 annual UK Youth Parliament in Leeds.

The current Youth Mayor and his deputy recently represented Southend at an international conference in Brussels.

For more details on the work of Southend Youth Council and the Youth Mayor elections contact youthmayor@southend.gov.uk

Please note: The views expressed in the manifestos are those of the candidates themselves.