YOUNG people have been elected as members of the Worcestershire Youth Cabinet and the UK Youth Parliament (UKYP).

A record number of people voted for 16 youth cabinet members and three UKYP seats, which were announced at County Hall on Saturday.

The Youth Cabinet and UKYP members will now work with MPs, councillors, school and youth councils and peer group members on the issues relevant to their constituents.

They will also organise campaigns, projects and events and identify common issues of concern.

There had been 24 candidates, aged between 11 and 18, who had received 9,000 votes between them.

They spent two months putting together their manifestos and pledges for the elections, which were organised by Worcestershire County Council’s support team.

Councillor Marcus Hart, the council’s member for education, said: “It’s fantastic to see the interest this year’s elections have generated and I would like to applaud all the candidates who have put their cases forward for votes over the last couple of months.

“The record breaking vote numbers show that young people in Worcestershire are certainly interested in making a difference.

“Each and every young person who has taken time to vote has used the chance to help shape future decisions that affect them and their peers – the very ethos of the UK Youth Parliament.”

Those elected for Worcestershire’s youth cabinet were Rachel Dewdney, aged 13, and Cameron Winstanley, 15, both from Nunnery Wood High School, as members for Worcester.

In Malvern, Chase Technology College pupils James Workman, 14, and Edward Workman, 16, were elected along with Barnaby Von Straaten, 12, and Bryn Auger, 11, both from Tenbury High School.

Prince Henry’s High School, Evesham, pupil Nairi Gallant, 17, Vale of Evesham School pupil James Smith, 13, and James Manning, 13, from Pershore High, were elected to represent Wychavon.

In the UKYP, Tenbury High pupil David Evans, 11, will represent West Worcestershire, St Augustine’s Catholic High school pupil Robert Rietz, 15, will represent East Worcestershire and King Charles School pupil Daniel Farmer, 14, from Kidderminster, will represent North Worcestershire.

Philip Arthers-Thompson, 14, from Kidderminster, will represent Wyre Forest and Gemma Radley, 15, Zobia Iqbal, 13, and Murium Shah, 16, all from Trinity High School, will represent the Redditch area.

UKYP was launched at the House of Commons in July 1999 and first sat in 2001.

Each local education authority in England represents a UKYP constituency.