H&F elects new Youth Mayor and Member of Youth Parliament

2019 election results

A new Hammersmith & Fulham Youth Mayor has been elected after a poll of 8,000 young people from across the borough.

The results were announced at the recent Youth Achievement Awards held at St Paul’s Church in Hammersmith. See all the pictures from the event on our Flickr photo gallery.

Scarlett Knowles, who attends Latymer Upper School in Hammersmith, topped the ballot with 1,243 votes. She will serve as H&F Youth Mayor for the next year.

During her year as Youth Mayor, Scarlett will make positivity about mental health issues a key part of her work.

“Many of us will face mental health issues in our lives,” she said, “and so we need the proper tools to combat this. I would like to continue to reduce stigma and change how our society reacts to mental health and how we talk about it.”

The new Deputy Youth Mayor is Ainhoa Reyes, of Sacred Heart School in Hammersmith, who received 733 votes.

Ballots were cast at 21 polling stations in schools and youth projects across Hammersmith & Fulham between 4 and 15 February.

The total number of votes cast was 4,216.

Cllr Larry Culhane, H&F Council's Cabinet Member for Children and Education, said: ““We are always looking for ways to do things with people, and not to them. And putting young people at the heart of decision-making through our Youth Council, and the national Youth Parliament, are another way that we do that.

“The young people who have been elected are a great reflection on the depth of talent we have among this borough's younger generation. I’m really looking forward to working with Scarlett, Ainhoa and the Youth Council over the coming year.”

Youth Parliament election results 2019

The young people of H&F also elected a new Member of the Youth Parliament in Ozan Erder, of Latymer Upper School in Hammersmith, who received 834 votes.

While the Deputy Member of the Youth Parliament will be Jeffrey Mailli, of Fulham College, who received 697 votes.

The total number of votes cast was 4,168.

Once elected, MYPs meet with MPs and local councillors, organise events, run campaigns, make speeches, hold debates and ensure the views of young people are listened to by decision makers.

The most important aspect of any MYP’s job is to make sure they represent the views of the young people in their constituency. Any MYP can set up a campaign, and any young person can support it and make a difference.

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