12-year-old becomes youngest youth councillor

Joshua Davies, a year-seven student at Our Lady of Sion, in Gratwicke Road, broke the previous record of 13 after he was elected by peers from his and other secondary schools last month.

He has already taken part in his first meeting and said he was looking forward to making Worthing a better place for young people.

Joshua, from Palmers Way, High Salvington, said: “I’ve always been interested in politics and I felt I wanted to know Worthing even better and help people who are in need. I’m looking forward to improving Worthing to suit young people much more than it does at the moment.”

Worthing Youth Council, an a-political body, promotes the area for the good of young people in the town and also acts as a conduit to adult councillors.

Joshua said his interest in politics stemmed from childhood.

He said: “My mum told me that when I was six I could lecture about the 10p tax band. I can’t remember that now but I’m interested whenever there’s politics in looking at voting sheets so I have an idea of what’s going on.”

While Joshua’s political career is only just beginning, he already has dreams of one day being in Downing Street.

He added: “I’ve always been told by everyone I’d make a good Prime Minister because people ask me a question and I’ll reply and walk off and they’ll realise I haven’t really answered it.”

Shirley Robinson-Vine, Worthing and Adur youth councils co-ordinator, praised Joshua’s commitment to giving young people a voice.

She added: “Joshua’s manifesto showed him to be enthusiastic about young people’s voice and the desire to make a positive contribution to his community. What a wonderful attitude for one so young.”

Voter turn-out for the elections across the schools was 62 per cent, which Shirley praised as a “great statistic”.