YORK’S youngest new councillor - who has been put in charge of culture, leisure and communities at the council - has revealed what inspired him to pursue a role in local politics.

Darryl Smalley is just 20 years old, although he joined the Liberal Democrat party aged 16. And he has been campaigning for the group for the past three years.

He was named as a ward councillor for Rawcliffe and Clifton Without Ward, where he lives, on May 3 when the Lib Dems claimed 21 of the 47 seats on City of York Council.

Cllr Smalley said winning was “absolutely thrilling” and added: “It felt like everything had come together. Living in the ward as well, it was nice to think that your neighbours had supported you.”

Cllr Smalley grew up in Lincoln, where the impact of council decisions on his own community inspired an interest in politics. He said: “I grew up on a council estate so I probably saw more of what the council does.

“The council decided to switch off the street lights at night and on the estate crime was quite high so it was not the best idea. Four thousand people signed a petition and the decision was slightly overturned – some streets could apply for their lights to be turned back on and they changed the timings.

“That’s how I saw that campaigning can lead to change.”

He had considered becoming an architect but chose instead to study politics and international relations at the University of York, from which he has just graduated.

“Doing a politics degree, everyone is politically engaged, and it is such a politically charged environment at the moment so quite rightly everyone has an opinion,” he said.

“At university and locally, politics is a lot nicer. We get to meet so many different people.

“If it ever stopped being fun I think I would stop. You can make a really big difference to your community and politics isn’t everything.”

The Local Government Association said just 0.6 per cent of councillors are aged 18 to 24 and therefore Cllr Smalley is likely to be one of the youngest executive members in the country.

Cllr Smalley said it is a privilege to on the executive.

He added that he is aiming to visit every library and community group in the city.

His portfolio includes responsibility for consultation and engagement, community centre, volunteering, leisure and sport, tourism, art and heritage.