Maidenhead & Windsor

Faisal Shafiq is the Royal Windsor and Maidenhead Borough’s new MYP (Member of Youth Parliament).

Faisal, a pupil at Cox Green School, Maidenhead, was declared winner of this year’s election at a special election-night event in the council chamber, Town Hall, Maidenhead, on Monday (23 March).

Faisal topped the polls to become the Windsor and Maidenhead borough’s sixth MYP in a hard-fought election which saw 2,915 votes cast at youth centres and schools from March 2–10.

The three candidates set out their manifestos to help attract the votes of 11 to 18-year-olds. Faisal polled 1,364 of the votes with manifesto pledges including:

* cheaper fares in and out of Maidenhead
* more youth events, for example under-16 nights
* more acting or sporting involvement for under-18s
* more competitive events such as football or netball competitions in Maidenhead.

Faisal follows in the footsteps of the outgoing MYP Windsor and Maidenhead Jodie Dingwall and her predecessors Gemma Thorogood, Robert Weeks, Helen Flory and Natasha Lavender, in representing the views of local young people at the National Youth Parliament conferences.

Faisal will also help youth workers set up local satellite youth forums to feed ideas and opinions into the borough youth forum, reflecting the views of young people in the future provision of services they need and use.

Cllr Eileen Quick, lead member for Windsor and Maidenhead children’s services, said: “This was yet another hard-fought election in which a great many young people took part by coming out to vote – and this in itself is extremely encouraging.

“It means that young people really appreciate the opportunity to have their voices heard on issues which mean so much to them where it really matters – at national youth parliament level.

“I am delighted for Faisal. I am sure he will do as good a job as his predecessors in representing the views of his peers in the Royal Borough.”

Faisal said after the election: “I am really happy and excited to have been elected. I would like to thank the youth service for getting me involved in the MYP elections. I will try my best to get everything I said, done.

“Young people did me a favour by voting for me and now it's time for me to return that favour. I look forward to representing the youth of the RBWM, and will make their voices heard.”

The Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead