Amelia-Rose is Medway's first Young Mayor, chosen by more than 2,700 young voters, with seven deputies. Applications for next year open on 11 January 2027.

Medway has its first Young Mayor. Medway Council announced on Thursday 1 October that Amelia-Rose won the summer vote. More than 2,700 children and young people across Medway took part.

Seven Deputy Young Mayors were appointed alongside her. The council named them as Anastasia, Archie, Isla, Isobel, Kayin, Priya and Violet. As we reported in August, the seven runners-up on the ballot become the deputies, so every child who made the final eight now holds a role. We are using first names only, as the council did.

How the vote went

The council’s figures:

  • almost 70 children and young people applied for the roles
  • eight candidates went forward to the ballot
  • more than 2,700 children and young people voted
  • voting ran from June to the end of August

The council said it “was a close race between all of the candidates”. It has not published vote totals for each candidate.

The voting was open to every child and young person living in Medway aged 7 to 18, online, on paper in schools and in person at Child-friendly Medway events. The last in-person chance was Super Saturday at the Pentagon Centre in Chatham on 29 August.

What happens next

The Young Mayor and the seven deputies will be formally introduced at a special event this month. The council has not yet given a date or venue for it.

The role is ceremonial. The council describes it on its Young Mayor page as “a celebratory one, not political”. The Young Mayor and deputies will:

  • hand out awards and judge competitions
  • take small speaking roles at events
  • attend Child-friendly Medway City Hall events, to hear what matters to children and young people
  • feed young residents’ views back to the council

The post sits alongside the Medway Youth Council and Medway’s two UK Youth Parliament members. It does not replace either. The term runs from September to August, so this first group serves until the end of August 2027.

Cllr Vince Maple, the council leader, congratulated “every young person who put themselves forward or cast their vote”. Cllr Adam Price, Portfolio Holder for Children’s Services, said the turnout was “exactly what this idea was supposed to inspire”.

The programme is run by the council’s Child-Friendly Medway team. Four organisations sponsor it: Shining Stars Fostering, Canary House Care, Home Finding and Fostering, and The Hazel Project.

What it means for you

If you have a child in Year Five, they can stand next time. The council says applications for the 2027 Young Mayor and Deputy Young Mayor roles open on Monday 11 January 2027, and the positions are open to all Year Five children in Medway. It has not yet published the closing date or the voting dates for next year.

The council lists the benefits it expects the roles to bring, including public speaking practice, free entry to a range of local events and working with the Medway Youth Council. The full list is on its benefits page.

Questions about the scheme go to the Child-friendly Medway team at childfriendly@medway.gov.uk. More on the wider programme is on the council’s Child-Friendly Medway page.