A total of 50 young people were successfully elected following city wide Youth Council elections, representing schools, youth voice groups and education and youth provisions from across Wolverhampton.

The successful candidates were formally announced and celebrated during the event, marking the start of their term in representing the voices of young people across the city. Over the coming months, they will work closely with the City of Wolverhampton Council’s directors, officers and elected members to champion young people’s views, encourage civic participation, and help influence council services and decision making.

Alongside the Youth Council elections, Nana Antwi and Troy Cox were elected as Wolverhampton’s Youth MPs. They will represent the city at the UK Youth Parliament, debating national issues that matter most to young people and ensuring Wolverhampton’s youth voice is heard on a wider stage.

The declaration event was attended by the Mayor of Wolverhampton, Councillor Craig Collingswood, Leader of the Council, Councillor Stephen Simkins, Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Education, Councillor Jacqui Coogan, Executive Director of Families Alison Hinds, Deputy Director of Transformation and Partnerships, Rachel King, and other councillors and council staff, who joined together to congratulate the newly elected representatives.

The event also provided an opportunity to reflect on the Youth Council’s achievements over the past 12 months. Highlights included joint work with the Community Safety Team on crime and safety issues affecting young people, and the launch of My Tomorrow, a regional, youth led campaign.

As part of this work, Youth Council members collaborated with Public Health to explore concerns around gaming and gambling, leading to the development and delivery of workshops in schools aimed at prevention and awareness.

Attendees also viewed short video messages of support from Pat McFadden MP and Warinder Juss MP, recognising the important contribution young people make to civic life in Wolverhampton.

Councillor Coogan said: "It is great to see so many young people stepping forward to represent their peers and take an active role in shaping the future of our city. The Youth Council and Youth MPs play an important role in ensuring young people’s voices are heard, valued and acted upon, and I look forward to working with the new representatives and supporting them as they make a real difference for young people across Wolverhampton.”

Harriet Deadman, Chair of the Youth Council, added: “I’m really excited to begin working with the new Youth Council and to help amplify the voices of young people in our city.

"The level of engagement from 27 secondary schools and youth organisations across the city has been incredibly positive, and it’s clear there’s a real appetite for participation and change.

"I’d also like to thank the City of Wolverhampton Council for hosting the declaration event and for their continued support in making this possible.