Ceri ready for office (From Gazette Series)

Ceri ready for office

A STUDENT from Rednock School in Dursley has been elected by his peers to represent the interests of young people in Gloucestershire.

The results have just been announced of this year's Youth Parliament Elections in Gloucestershire and a pupil from Rednock has won the Cotswold seat.

This year, 12,185 votes were cast for 25 candidates for the three Members of Youth Parliament (MYPs) seats and three deputies in the constituencies of Gloucester/Forest, Tewkesbury/Cheltenham and Cotswold/Stroud.

The elections were held in January at over 50 polling stations across the county, with the candidates being voted in by their contemporaries in schools and colleges..

At a ceremony at Shire Hall, Gloucester, County Councillor Alan Pearce, cabinet member for young people, was joined by Linda Uren, head of children and Young people's strategy, and Lynne Speake, assistant head of Gloucestershire Youth Service, in thanking all those who took part and congratulating the winners.

The triumphant candidate in the Cotswold/Stroud constituency was Ceri Wills, a pupils at Rednock School and also a member of Stroud District Youth Council. Her deputy for the year is Ben Challis, a pupil at Marling School in Stroud and a fellow member of Stroud District Youth Council.

In the Gloucester/Forest constituency, Kingston Myles (Sir Thomas Rich School) was elected MYP with James Cornish (Newent School) his deputy.

In the Cheltenham/Tewkesbury constituency, Rhodri Blackwell (Winchcombe School) was elected MYP with Andy Woods, college student and an active member of Here 2B Heard and MAD Young People's Council, as his deputy.

Cllr Pearce said: "Obviously there are always regrets when the terms of office of our MYPs and their deputies come to an end but I know that not only will they help their successors but that they will continue to look after the interests of other young people in many different ways.

"Meantime, their successors are widely welcomed for the knowledge which they bring with them. We can all look forward to watching their achievements as the year goes by; I am confident that these will be many."