Politics student’s dream came true by getting elected onto council
GEORGIA, 19, PROUD TO BE YOUNGEST MEMBER OF NELC
A 19-YEAR-OLD first year politics student is now the youngest councillor on North East Lincolnshire Council. The Conservative’s Georgia Astbury, won the Immingham seat after sweeping the polls with 1,144 votes, unseating former council leader Dave Watson, who took 721 votes for Labour.
Georgia will now represent her ward while continuing with her degree at the University of Lincoln. The Grimsby-born councillor aims to carry on with her work in the local community and hopes to inspire other young people into a career in politics.
She said: “It feels fantastic after all the hard work to see a reward come of it.
“It’s good to know I can properly start helping the community in an official capacity.
“Being elected gives me greater opportunity to do a lot more for people, but it did feel very strange when I found out I’d won. There was so much anticipation during the night, especially considering this was the first count I’d ever been to in my life. “The atmosphere was crazy too, it was like nothing I’d ever felt before. “As I was watching the count it seemed to be one for one as the votes were coming in, I didn’t know what was going to happen if I’m honest. “I was really nervous and excited as I started to realise that I might be pushing ahead. I’d put in so much hard work, but I never considered I could actually win.
“When it was announced that I’d won, it was a massive relief.
“All the hard work was worth it in the end. Now I just want to continue on with what I was doing before the election.”
Georgia kept her family in touch with how the count at Grimsby Auditorium throughout the day.
They could not be there at the venue due to attendance limits to keep the event Covid-safe. Georgia said: “I remember messaging my mum something like ‘I won’ or ‘I did it’ and my stepfather said she was nearly crying. She was ringing family and friends and telling them all on the way over and was so proud that she brought me flowers to celebrate.” Georgia has always had an interest in politics from a young age.
She said: “I did politics at A-Level and I’m currently in my first year of a politics degree at the University of
Lincoln. I’ve always been interested at helping at the grass roots level too. “I’m intrigued by how it all works and how it affects the local people in the area. It’s nice to make a difference and to be able to do that through my passion is the best way I can”. Balancing a degree alongside her role as a councillor is not something that phases Georgia though.
She said: “I’m dedicated and passionate about them both and I love doing it so I don’t mind being really busy.”
When she’s not representing her ward, Georgia spends her time looking after her rescue cat and rescue dog, Coco and Teddy.
Looking ahead, she hopes to carry on helping her local community as much as she can.
She said: “It’s very early days so I just intend to carry on doing what I’m doing.
“I’ve been helping people with issues like fly-tipping, recycling bins and parking. I think these types of issues matter the most because it’s something people deal with daily. All these things you can walk or drive past on your daily commute.”
All the hard work was worth it in the end. Now I just want to continue on with what I was doing before the election
Georgia Astbury