The faces of tomorrow’s political world outlined their plans for the borough, when Redbridge’s Youth Parliament were announced this week.

The four teenagers were picked from a total of 8,012 votes cast by pupils at the borough’s secondary schools and youth centres, and were warmly welcomed into the group by Cllr Alan Weinberg at Redbridge Town Hall.The two young parliamentarians are Sophia Hoondle and Alex Grigorescu both from Seven Kings High School, Ley Street.

Their deputies are Tash Miah from Woodford County High, Woodford Green, and Adam Patel from Valentines High School, Cranbrook Road, Gants Hill.

They run campaigns and wrote manifestos with their policies in the hope of being elected in the run up to the vote last month.

Sophia, 15, said: “I’m looking forward to learning a new range of skills and helping to make the young people of Redbridge’s future a more promising one. “It is also important that young people understand the world after education but still have fun at the same time and this is why we will be making work experience opportunities for young people one of our main priorities.”

The four will make up Redbridge’s Youth Parliament, and hold debates on issues that face young people in the borough, as well as writing to and lobbying MPs.

They will serve one term of a year, before a re-election.

Alex, 14, said, “I was really surprised when I heard I had won because I wasn’t expecting it. I knew I’d put a lot of hard work into my campaign but thought others had worked harder. We are hoping to secure more work experience opportunities for teenagers as it is really important for young people to be ready for working life.”