YOUNG people in the Vale of Glamorgan voted in their thousands to elect the 2015 Youth Mayor.
Cowbridge Comprehensive School student Daniel Marshall, 15, has been elected as Youth Mayor. He will be supported by Bronwen Lloyd, also 15, as the Deputy Youth Mayor.
Daniel and Bronwen will head the Vale of Glamorgan Youth Cabinet and bridge the gap between young people and the Vale council. The results of the election were announced on Monday, October 19 after 3,802 young people cast their votes.
Daniel Marshall (Vale of Glamorgan Youth Mayor) and Bronwen Lloyd (Vale Deputy Youth Mayor)
The Vale of Glamorgan Youth Service runs the Youth Cabinet and supports a charity called the Vale Youth Forum.
The forum is for young people aged between 11 and 24, who live, go to school or work in the Vale. Young people in the forum meet regularly to discuss community issues and take part in activities and skills training. Members can then be considered for positions on the Vale Youth Cabinet.
In October, members of the cabinet campaigned to become the 2015 Vale Youth Mayor by visiting secondary schools, training providers and youth organisations across the Vale. The candidates pitched their manifestos during Local Democracy Week (October 12-16).
View their manifesto videos here:
Local Democracy Week encouraged young people from the Vale to take an interest in local government and have a say in the decisions that affect their every day lives.
Daniel and Bronwen are passionate about getting the voices of young people heard. They are pushing for more meetings and opportunities to share their views.
Bronwen said: “I think we really need to bridge the gap between us and the councillors. I think that’s the big issue for us because there isn’t much of a connection at the moment.”
Daniel and Bronwen are keen to pursue the Curriculum for Life campaign which would review personal and social education (PSE) in schools and develop the teaching of sexual and political education.
This was the top issue for students at Bronwen’s school, Ysgol Gymraeg Bro Morgannwg. She said: “I have spoken to a lot of people at my school and at others and there’s been a lot of complaints about PSE lessons and how they’re not being used effectively. It’s a time that the teachers could use to make a great deal of difference for young people. We’re at quite an impressionable age.”
Daniel wants to improve internet connection speeds in the Vale of Glamorgan. He hopes to use his influence as Youth Mayor to put pressure on the Vale Council to speed up their promise of improved services.
Meet the Candidates
Name: Daniel Marshall
Position: Vale of Glamorgan Youth Mayor
Age: 15
School: Cowbridge Comprehensive School
Studying: Geography, German, Triple Science
Future Plans: Wants to go to university to study Politics, Philosophy and Economics. Would like a career in politics.
Other Interests: Rugby
Name: Bronwen Lloyd
Position: Vale of Glamorgan Deputy Youth Mayor
Age: 15
School: Ysgol Gymraeg Bro Morgannwg
Studying: Art, French, Graphics, Triple Science
Future plans: Wants to study medicine at university.
Other interests: Art, Ballet
