Young Mayor of Carlisle 2009

(Date of issue: Friday, 16 October 2009)

Ten-year-old Inglewood Junior schoolgirl, Jessica Barker was chosen as Carlisle’s Young Mayor yesterday afternoon (Thursday, 15 October).

Jessica was one of five candidates representing different local primary schools. Fellow local primary school children cast their votes for their preferred Carlisle Young Mayor candidate in the Civic Centre’s Council Chamber. The special Carlisle City Council event was organised to coincide with Local Democracy Week (12- 18 October).

Some of the hot topics discussed, included free entry for young people into sporting events, the dangers of knife crime and how to make Carlisle a better place for everyone.

The Carlisle City Council Young Mayor event gave the year 6 (10 – 11 year olds) pupils the chance to become Young Mayor of Carlisle, experiencing local democracy in action. Five primary schools took part and each chose a candidate to represent them. The five contenders were: Lois Briley - Brook Street Primary School; Jessica Barker - Inglewood Junior School; James Dawson - Hayton Primary School; Elizabeth Emerson - Rockcliffe Primary School and James Fisher - Stanwix Primary School..

An invited audience of young people, Council Members and teachers listened to the final candidates’ manifestos in the Council Chamber, chaired by the Mayor of Carlisle, Cllr William Graham. The candidates and their fellow pupils voted in a secret ballot for their preferred Young Mayor.

Georgina Powley, Young Mayor 2008, who represented Brook Street Primary School, officially handed over the badge of office to Carlisle’s new Young Mayor for 2009 - Jessica Barker.

This is the ninth year that Carlisle City Council has supported Local Democracy Week (12-18 October), the national campaign which aims to get people involved in decision making and to take part in democracy.