The Burgess Hill Youth Council elected their Mayor and Deputy Mayor for 2024/25 at a meeting in the Council Chamber at the Town Council on Wednesday 11th December.

Following the election, which included a secret ballot carried out using an official poll booth and ballot box (borrowed from Mid Sussex District Council). Two candidates were tied on the top vote, taking a toss of a coin to separate them. Zahra Bayer from the Burgess Hill Academy took the seat of Youth Mayor and Isabel Dallman from Sheddingdean Primary the Deputy Youth Mayor.

The youngsters take over from Harvey Hilton and Molly Thompson (both from Burgess Hill Academy) who held the positions last year and were given a round of applause from the Council for their work representing the Youth Council over the past 12 months.

Zhara then took the Chair and heard from the members of the Youth Council as to the results of surveys carried out in the school which had polled hundreds of local Children as to what events they love about Burgess Hill (Bonfire, fireworks and Christmas Light Switch On) along with which events would they like to see introduced which included; Scavenger hunts, School Choir & Music Festivals and Football tournaments. These ideas will be presented to the Town Councils Community Engagement Committee as well as further discussion at the Youth Council.