by Paul Goodman
The golden rule with pieces of this kind is that if someone's named, it's not long before a reader has found someone else even younger. None the less, I open the bidding with Cllr Jodie Jones, elected last week to Cannock Chase Council. She is 22.
Jodie was born in Cannock, grew up there, established a student council at school, and was consequently elected its Chair. Then to Magdalen College, Oxford University, where she studied history and politics. She graduated in 2009, and worked for 18 months in Australia and the UK for a fundraising consultancy.
Then, in her own words, "when I got back to the UK in November, I was desperate to get back to politics". So thence to the constituency office of Aidan Burley, the local MP, which she now manages - having originally asked simply for some work on a voluntary basis.
She writes: "The ‘Help Zone’ concept we operate means that we are open to constituents every day of the week... I love being able to provide help and support to constituents who, often, come to their MP because they have nowhere else to turn for advice and support."
"My work in the Help Zone is why I decided to run for Council. There are many problems which I have seen and which I would like to address to improve Cannock Chase. I know what a difference it makes to people to have someone to turn to who will look out for their interests, and I want to do that for my ward, Rawnsley.
It’s important to me that young people feel engaged with politics. The apathy and disinterest felt by many terrifies me – and I hope that I can, by being a younger member of the Council, reach out to more young people, and encourage them to take an active part in politics too."
Now, let me guess: you know someone even younger. But best of luck to Jodie in any event.