The current Young Mayor of Lewisham, Jamel Higgins. Photo: Lewisham Council.

22 young people will be competing for the title of the Young Mayor of Lewisham this month.

The Young Mayor programme, initially started by Sir Steve Bullock, Mayor of Lewisham, has been the longest established scheme for Young Mayor since it started in 2004.

The next few weeks promise a strong campaign in the lead up to the final election, which is to be held on Wednesday 16 October.

The Young Mayor will have a budget of £30,000 to be spent on initiatives that will benefit the youth of Lewisham.

A dedicated group of teens will be supporting the newly elected Mayor; these are members of local community groups and will be called the Youth Advisors.

All young people aged between 11-17 across the London borough will be encouraged to vote.

Last year’s election saw 9,341 voters, representing a turnout of 52.8 per cent.

The current Young Mayor of Lewisham, Jamel Higgins, said: “I feel privileged to have represented all young people in Lewisham. I have met some great and wonderful people and been a part of fantastic projects and events across the borough.

“Being Young Mayor of Lewisham has been a mind blowing experience for me, and something I will treasure for a lifetime. I’m looking forward to the celebrations around the tenth Young Mayor election.”

The results will be announced on Thursday 17 October during a special ceremony at the Civic Suite, Catford.

You can read the candidates’ statements here. To find out more about the Young Mayor project visit http://www.b-involved.org.uk.