The annual Youth Council Elections were held on the evening of Wednesday 7 October in the Council Chamber.
Members cast their votes for Cabinet positions of Youth Mayor, Deputy Youth Mayor, Health Officer and the newly introduced role of Social Media Officer. The elections were attended by Councillor Patsy Spears, the Mayor of Broxbourne.
Zara Djemal, a Year 12 student at Hertford Regional College, was successfully elected as Youth Mayor. Having joined the Youth Council on the very day of last year’s elections, Zara is delighted to have progressed to the role of Youth Mayor for the 2026/27 academic year.
As the Borough’s eighth Youth Mayor, she is committed to bringing new ideas to the Youth Council to represent the needs of local young people and leading the campaigns that benefit the lives of others and the wider community. She said:
I am very proud to be elected as Youth Mayor, and I will make sure the Youth Council does everything possible to amplify voices and better the lives of young people within our community.
The role of Deputy Youth Mayor was awarded to Thomas Vaciago, a Year 10 student at Goffs Academy. Thomas is pleased to progress into a Cabinet position and is determined to assist Zara in the year ahead.
Lily-Rose Blackford, a Year 10 student at Haileybury Turnford, was elected as the new Health Officer. Meanwhile, Edward Odulaja and Monroe Clarke, both Year 10 students at Haileybury Turnford, made Youth Council history by becoming the first-ever Social Media Officers. Their joint election also marked the first time a Cabinet position has been shared, after both candidates received an equal number of votes.
The Broxbourne Youth Council is open to all young people aged 11 to 17 who live or study in the Borough. The Youth Mayor and Youth Council are politically neutral.
For more information about the Broxbourne Youth Council, including meeting dates and minutes, visit www.broxbourne.gov.uk/community/youth-council.