Architecture fresher becomes youngest ever Sheffield city councillor

Architecture fresher Moya O’Rourke has won a seat on the Sheffield City Council representing the Labour party for the city ward.

At only twenty years old, Moya is the youngest candidate to ever join the city council.

The election held on May 7th saw her race to victory with 25 votes ahead of her competitors, winning the only Labour seat in the ward. Two other seats were won by Green Party candidates, Robert Murphy and Douglas Johnson, who she will be working closely with on the council.

Moya previously held a chair on Sheffield Labour Students, but now has moved up to a professional level.

Unfortunately, shortly after votes had been counted, the official Sheffield Green Party Facebook page sourly commented on Moya’s personal Facebook status, insinuating that she had only won her seat due to ‘the Corbyn effect’ as opposed to her own merit.

Luckily the new councillor did not take the comments to heart, instead believing her youth will act as an advantage and break political stigma, showing she truly deserves a place on the ward.

Speaking to Shef News, Moya commented on her youth, saying: “One thing I’d like to achieve is to stop having people turn to younger people, such as myself, and go: ‘students are disinterested.

“Well – that’s not true: I’m 20 and I am a councillor. If you’re going to tell me that young people aren’t interested then you’re just lying to yourself.”

Following her success, Moya has decided to take a year out of her studies to focus on her new role to authentically represent the people.

Her first issue to address is tackling sexual harassment by working with nightclubs in her ward – including Plug, Leadmill and Corporation.