Richmond’s newest Youth Parliament members have already found their political voice after hitting out at £600,000 cuts to youth services.

Teenagers Max Edwards and Katherine Pearce are the borough’s new youth representatives, with Jack Lewis as deputy, after more than 6,500 young people cast their vote in this month’s election.

Many of the nine candidates highlighted the challenges faced by the borough’s teenagers in their manifestos, including tuition fees and cuts to youth services.

And the effects of the cuts hit home on election night, last Tuesday, because it was the last to be overseen by Richmond Council’s youth participation officer, who is being made redundant as part of Richmond Council’s cost-cutting programme.

Max, 16, who volunteers at Twickenham’s Heatham House youth club, said the worst was yet to come.

He said: “There are boroughs that are much worse off [than Richmond] but it has only just begun.

“I am sure there will be more cuts in the next two years - it is inevitable.

“A lot of it is up for change but we have not seen the full impact.”

Richmond Council announced in September it would slash the opening hours of Connexions, the youth careers and advice service, and merge Richmond’s drug and alcohol misuse team with Kingston’s, in a move to save £590,000.

Teddington School pupil Jack said he too was “worried” by the council’s decision to cut youth services and what the future held for young people in the borough.

The election night was deemed an “emotional” evening, as the youngsters prepared to bid farewell to youth participation officer Lois Ratcliffe, who has helped to organise the young people’s parliament for the past seven years.

A Richmond Council spokesman revealed she was one of 100 people set to leave the council after about 170 posts were cut in a bid to save the local authority money.

Max said: “People are upset about it, Lois is an amazing person and has done a lot for young people.”

Councillor Christine Percival, cabinet member for youth services, said: “Overall services to young people have fared particularly well but in the current climate we cannot guarantee to protect every single aspect of every service as this would lead to unfair cuts elsewhere.

“We have reviewed the whole of the youth service and support for young people is being reorganised and will continue.”