Youth Mayor

Youth Mayor for 2022/23

Paige Abrey is the eleventh Stevenage Youth Mayor. Paige is currently a student at The Nobel School in Stevenage. Paige is extremely passionate about politics, determined to see progressive change in our community, and wants to give young people a voice in local politics.

Paige is a member of the LGBTQIA* community and will constantly advocate for change in our borough regarding young people. Paige also has a variety of other hobbies that include attending Youth Council, reading, music and volunteering around her school, and local community.

During her term, Paige wants to focus on our ever-growing climate change issue. Environmental concerns are so important to young people because it is our future. Our time to save the planet is running out. It is universal and extremely problematic as we have a duty both our planet and the future generations to fix our mistakes before it is too late. She would like to be a part of many projects across our community, and she looks forward to advocating for young people through her term.

Paige will formally represent young people of the town in the role of ambassador and will work with Stevenage Youth Council to help promote the interests of young people regardless of ability, gender, religion, sexuality, ethnicity and class.

What does the Youth Mayor do?

The first Youth Mayor of Stevenage was elected by Stevenage Youth Council and was inaugurated at Annual Council on 23 May 2012.

The Youth Mayor attends council meetings and civic events, and accompanies the Mayor/Deputy Mayor at some youth-orientated engagements. The Youth Mayor also holds a non-voting seat at Stevenage Borough Council meetings.

The Youth Mayor directs the expenditure of a Local Youth Budget of £2,000 to support a youth related community project, organisation, charity or local group with a recognised legal status or an unincorporated association with its own bank account. If the organisation does not have a bank account, the application will not be considered.

Who can become the Youth Mayor for Stevenage?

Any young person who lives in Stevenage aged 11 to 19 years, or up to 25 if they have a learning difficulty or disability, can nominate themselves as a Youth Mayor candidate. The Youth Mayor is elected by young people from across the Borough and they will take up the role for one year.

For information on the role of Stevenage Youth Mayor, Stevenage Youth Council or the Local Youth Budget, please call Community Development on 01438 242446 or email, Youth.Mayor@stevenage.gov.uk.