Mid and East Antrim Borough Council
Mid and East Antrim Borough Council | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | |
| Type | |
| History | |
| Founded | 1 April 2015 |
| Preceded by | |
| Leadership | |
Mayor | Beth Adger, Democratic Unionist Party |
Deputy Mayor | Stewart McDonald, TUV |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 40 |
 | |
Political groups | DUP (13) UUP (8) Alliance (7) TUV (6) Sinn Féin (4) Independents (2) |
| Elections | |
Last election | 18 May 2023 |
| Meeting place | |
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| The Braid | |
| Website | |
| www | |
Mid and East Antrim Borough Council is a local authority that was established on 1 April 2015. It replaced Ballymena Borough Council, Carrickfergus Borough Council and Larne Borough Council.
History
[edit]On 2 December 2021, the councils chief executive Anne Donaghy was suspended[1] and stated her intention to take legal action for discrimination.[2] In January 2023, she announced her retirement.[3]
In 2022, another DUP councillor, Marc Collins, was suspended for abusive tweets directed at Sinn Féin MP John Finucane and his family.[4]
Mayoralty
[edit]Mayor
[edit]| From | To | Name | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 2016 | Billy Ashe | DUP | |
| 2016 | 2017 | Audrey Wales | DUP | |
| 2017 | 2018 | Paul Reid | DUP | |
| 2018 | 2019 | Lindsay Millar | UUP | |
| 2019 | 2020 | Maureen Morrow | UUP | |
| 2020 | 2021 | Peter Johnston | DUP | |
| 2021 | 2022 | William McCaughey | DUP | |
| 2022 | 2023 | Noel Williams | Alliance | |
| 2023 | 2024 | Gerardine Mulvenna | Alliance | |
| 2024 | Present | Beth Adger | DUP | |
Deputy Mayor
[edit]| From | To | Name | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 2016 | Timothy Gaston | TUV | |
| 2016 | 2017 | William McNeilly | UUP | |
| 2017 | 2018 | Cheryl Johnston | DUP | |
| 2018 | 2019 | Cheryl Johnston | DUP | |
| 2019 | 2020 | Beth Adger | DUP | |
| 2020 | 2021 | Andrew Wilson | UUP | |
| 2021 | 2022 | Matthew Armstrong | TUV | |
| 2022 | 2023 | Beth Adger | DUP | |
| 2023 | 2024 | Stewart McDonald | TUV | |
| 2024 | Present | Bréanainn Lyness[5] | Sinn Féin | |
Councillors
[edit]For the purpose of elections the council is divided into seven district electoral areas (DEA):[6]
| Area | Seats |
|---|---|
| Ballymena | 7 |
| Bannside | 6 |
| Braid | 7 |
| Carrick Castle | 5 |
| Coast Road | 5 |
| Knockagh | 5 |
| Larne Lough | 5 |
Party strengths
[edit]| Party | Elected 2014 |
Elected 2019 |
Elected 2023 |
Current | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DUP | 16 | 15 | 14 | 13 | |
| UUP | 9 | 7 | 8 | 8 | |
| Alliance | 3 | 7 | 7 | 7 | |
| TUV | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | |
| Sinn Féin | 3 | 2 | 4 | 4 | |
| Independents | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | |
| SDLP | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| UKIP | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
Councillors by electoral area
[edit]
| Current council members | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| District electoral area | Name | Party | |
| Ballymena | Rodney Quigley | Independent | |
| Matthew Armstrong | TUV | ||
| Brian Thompson † | UUP | ||
| Bréanainn Lyness | Sinn Féin | ||
| Reuben Glover | DUP | ||
| Jack Gibson † | Alliance | ||
| Lawrie Philpott | DUP | ||
| Bannside | Anna Henry† | TUV | |
| Stewart McDonald | TUV | ||
| Ian Friary | Sinn Féin | ||
| Thomas Gordon | DUP | ||
| Tyler Hoey | DUP | ||
| Jackson Minford | UUP | ||
| Braid | Archie Rae | Sinn Féin | |
| Beth Adger | DUP | ||
| William McCaughey | DUP | ||
| Christopher Jamieson | TUV | ||
| Alan Barr | UUP | ||
| Chelsea Harwood | Alliance | ||
| Matthew Warwick | TUV | ||
| Carrick Castle | Lauren Gray | Alliance | |
| David Clarke †‡‡ | TUV | ||
| Billy Ashe | DUP | ||
| Robin Stewart | UUP | ||
| Bethany Ferris | UUP | ||
| Coast Road | James McKeown | Sinn Féin | |
| Andrew Clarke | DUP | ||
| Geraldine Mulvenna | Alliance | ||
| Angela Smyth | DUP | ||
| Maureen Morrow | UUP | ||
| Knockagh | Bobby Hadden | Independent | |
| Peter Johnston | DUP | ||
| Marc Collins | DUP | ||
| Andrew Wilson | UUP | ||
| Aaron Skinner | Alliance | ||
| Larne Lough | Maeve Donnelly | Alliance | |
| Gregg McKeen | DUP | ||
| Roy Beggs Jr | UUP | ||
| Robert Logan | Alliance | ||
| Paul Reid | DUP | ||
Population
[edit]The area covered by the Council has a population of 135,338 residents according to the 2011 Northern Ireland census.[7]
References
[edit]- ^ "Anne Donaghy: Suspended Mid and East Antrim chief takes legal action". BBC News. 2 December 2021. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
- ^ Hughes, Brendan (2 December 2021). "Council boss taking legal action over 'disability discrimination'". BelfastLive. Retrieved 2 December 2021.
- ^ Hughes, Brendan (20 January 2023). "Council boss 'retires on health grounds' after year on suspension". BelfastLive. Retrieved 20 January 2023.
- ^ Hargan, Garrett (29 June 2022). "DUP councillor Marc Collins suspended over tweets directed at Sinn Fein's John Finucane". belfasttelegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 23 January 2023.
- ^ Ballymena, Love (4 June 2024). "Sinn Féin's deputy mayor strikes conciliatory tone as party holds office for first time in MEA". LoveBallymena. Retrieved 4 June 2024.
- ^ "Current review of district electoral areas" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 September 2015.
- ^ "NI Census 2011 - Key Statistics Summary Report, September 2014" (PDF). NI Statistics and Research Agency. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 December 2014. Retrieved 28 September 2014.