My name is Gareth Shanks and Im hoping to be elected Young Independence Yorkshire chairman.

Id like to firstly wish the best of luck to my opponent Sam Launder, he is a good friend of mine and Ive worked with him on PCC election campaigns and with his university branch which he chairs. Im a born and bred Yorkshire man and immensely proud to have worked on the YI region which is widely considered the most advanced and well structured region in the country, I would be very proud to carry on the work of Tom Booker and Arnie Craven. I have worked on one PCC campaign, a parliamentary by election (Rotherham) in which I organized a YI action day, a local referendum on the elected mayor system in Doncaster and a handful of local council elections. I strongly believe that Yorkshire is a region that UKIP can make into an electoral stronghold and that is something I know YI Yorkshire can play a large part in. Ive held three positions within UKIP Appointed YI Yorkshire secretary by Arnie Craven in 2012. Elected national YI elections officer and helped to form the plans for the county council elections in May, I was also the first born and bred Yorkshire lad to sit on the national YI committee. At the start of 2013 I was elected via my branch committee to be the electoral strategy coordinator for the Doncaster area.

Outside of politics Im a former TA soldier, I was a proud members of 6 Rifles. I also have an apprenticeship in business admin and Im volunteer community coach for a charity which supports local primary schools. If elected I pledge to Continue to professionalize Yorkshire and carry on its record as the best YI region in the entire country. Publish a bimonthly newsletter to keep the YI members in Yorkshire up to date with the happenings in the region. Publish minutes from committee meetings to ensure full openness. At least one dedicated social event a year, with an aim to have more. Set in motion plans for YI candidates in the council elections in 2014, running a target campaign similar to the one I planned during my time in the national YI council, Ive extensive experience of running elections. Look at ways of increasing the YI membership in Yorkshire.