Mansfield's Youth Mayor
Mansfield's new Youth Mayor is Simon Harper from Meden School, Warsop. He will be assisted by the new Deputy Youth Mayor Natalie Smith from Queen Elizabeth's School, Mansfield.
Simon received 1,913 first preference votes and 570 second choice votes – a total of 2,483.
Natalie received 1,399 first preference votes and 512 second choice votes – a total of 1,911.
The third candidate Sophie Prosolek from Samworth Church Academy received 1,382 first preference votes – just 17 less than Natalie.
The turn out was 4,817.
In his manifesto Simon said he wanted to:
- provide a wide range of sporting leagues to involve everyone
- organise fundraising events for Meden Sports Centre
- change the negative image that young people seem to have about young people and make the community feel proud of the young people of Mansfield
- help to keep Mansfield as green as possible with new schemes to brighten up parks and allow people to enjoy places of leisure.
Simon said he felt strongly about the place where he lives, the school he attends and the young people he meets every day. He said they deserved the very best from their Youth Mayor and he felt he could provide them with everything that would make things better for the Mansfield community.
He said: "I think that if you believe, then you will achieve – and if the young people of Mansfield believe in me, then I will achieve things for them."
Simon thanked everyone who voted and promised to do his best for the young people of Mansfield district during his year in office.
Natalie, who has been a Mansfield Youth Assembly and UK Youth Parliament member for the past two years, said she was very pleased to become Deputy Youth Mayor and was looking forward to working with Simon.
Simon and Natalie will represent young people in the district and take the young peoples voice to the Mayor, Members and Officers of the Council and other community organisations. They act as ambassadors for Mansfield at various conferences and as role models for their peers across the District.
Mansfield's Executive Mayor, Tony Egginton, said: "All three candidates have much to bring to Youth democracy in Mansfield and I congratulate them all on a splendid campaign. I look forward to working with Youth Mayor, Simon Harper and Deputy Youth Mayor, Natalie Smith over the next year.
"Mansfield District has a Youth Mayor because I strongly believe that young people should be given more of a voice and bridge the democratic deficit that young people experienced before we had a democratically-elected Youth Mayor.
"I'm pleased that so many young people voted in the Youth Mayor election. It provides all 11 to 18 year olds the experience of casting their vote in preparation for when they vote in an adult election."