Mansfield’s Youth Mayor for 2014/15 is Danielle Bridges (16) of Samworth Church Academy with 1,693 votes. Honor Bennett (14), of All Saints’ Catholic Academy received 1,285 votes.

Elections were held at Samworth, All Saints’, The Brunts Academy, The Manor Academy, Queen Elizabeth’s Academy, Vision West Nottinghamshire College and the E2E Group at My Place.

Danielle will represent young people in the District and take their voice to the Mayor, Members and Officers of the Council and other community organisations. She will act as an ambassador for Mansfield at various conferences and as a role model for her peers across the District.

Danielle said: “Thank you to everyone who voted and for those who worked on election day and at the count. Congratulations to Honor for being a brilliant candidate. I’m really excited to be the new Youth Mayor and I’m looking forward to working on my manifesto pledges.”

Danielle’s manifesto pledges are:
•Increase lighting in parks and public footpaths that are commonly used by young people to create a safer environment.
•Campaign for better sex education in schools so that young people have a better understanding of sexual health.
•Strengthen the connection between the older and younger generations in Mansfield to end the negative image some parts of society have of young people.
•Give gifted young people more opportunities to showcase their talents.
•Promote sporting activities to encourage teenagers to try new sports and to get active.
•Raise awareness of the different clubs which are available for young people in Mansfield in order for teenagers to discover unknown talents and reduce the amount of young people on the street.

The Managing Director of Mansfield District Council, Ruth Marlow, congratulated both candidates for all their hard work on their long and intense campaigns and said they were a delight to work with.

She said she hoped that all the young people who worked at the elections remained interested in elections and came back to be counters at future local and national elections once they had turned 16.

The votes were counted by a former Deputy Youth Mayor Natalie Smith, two business administration apprentices at Mansfield District Council and students from All Saints’ and Samworth. They all received a certificate in recognition of their involvement.

This is the seventh year that Mansfield will have a Youth Mayor. Danielle takes over from Tanna Nita, who was supported by Deputy Youth Mayor Tom Richardson and Youth Ambassador Jade Booker.

You can keep up to date with what the Youth Mayor is doing via twitter on @MDC_youthmayor or on their Facebook page – just search for Mansfield Youth Mayor.

The Youth Mayor’s newsletter Youth Voice is published at www.mansfield.gov.uk/youthmayor