Bromley Councillor Chris Maines has been elected by young people across Bromley to be Youth Champion

7.16.09pm UTC (GMT +0000) Fri 12th Nov 2004

Chris with pupils at Farnborough Primary School

Chris was taking part in the 'I'm a councillor... get me out of here' competition organised by the Local Government Association as part of national Local Democracy Week. The Bromley competition pitted Chris (LibDem, Orpington Ward) against four other Bromley Councillors.

Young people across the Borough logged on to a special website to ask the councillors questions, read their manifestos, and vote for their 'youth champion'.

The first week saw the eviction of Cllr Bloom, Conservative Executive Councillor for Community Safety, with 3% of the vote. Week 2 saw Labour's Peter Fookes given his marching orders with just 5% of the vote.

The final week showdown pitted the leaders of Bromley's major parties against each other, with Lib-Dem leader Chris Maines challenging Council leader Cllr. Stephen Carr and his colleague Samaris Huntingdon-Thresher (Con, Chelsfield & Pratts Bottom).

Chris was overwhelmingly elected with 54% of the vote, with Cllrs Carr and Huntingdon-Thresher each receiving 23% of votes cast.

Chris said "I'm delighted to be chosen by young people in Bromley as their 'Youth Champion'. I've always believed we should involve young people in the political process - and I'll certainly be taking the ideas and concerns of young people into the council chamber."