A 23-YEAR-OLD former Parliamentary assistant has been appointed as a ‘special advisor’ to the new elected Tees Valley Mayor.

Cameron Brown, a former pupil of Middlesbrough’s Nunthorpe Academy, will earn up to £45,994 a year in the post and work with Mayor Ben Houchen.

Mr Brown was a Parliamentary assistant to Conservative MP James Wharton, who was recently ousted from his Stockton South seat.

He also worked for global communications agency Hume Brophy, in London, where his clients included Dell, Tata and Whitbread plc.

It is understood he had been in the running to take a role with the US Embassy office in the capital, but decided instead to return to the North-East.

Former mayoral candidate, John Tennant, from UKIP, described it as a “shock appointment”.

He said: “I cannot comment on whether he has the talent or the ability, but at just 23 years of age it is a bit of surprise.

“These are baby steps for the Tees Valley Combined Authority, which has only just been created, and I imagine this would be quite an important role.”

Mr Houchen said: “Cameron is a significant and very talented appointment, who was much in demand for senior positions in London.

“He chose to relocate back to Tees Valley to support my work, developing and delivering key initiatives and working in partnership with key stakeholders, within and outside the Combined Authority.”