Mid and East Antrim Borough Council
{{Short description|Local authority in Northern Ireland}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2016}}
{{Use British English|date=October 2016}}
{{Infobox legislature
| name = Mid and East Antrim Borough Council
| native_name =
| transcription_name =
| legislature =
| logo_pic = Mid and East Antrim Borough Council logo.svg
| foundation = 1 April 2015
| house_type = District council
| jurisdiction = Mid and East Antrim
| body =
| preceded_by = {{ubl|Ballymena Borough Council|Carrickfergus Borough Council|Larne Borough Council}}
| leader1_type = Mayor
| leader1 = William McCaughey
| party1 = DUP
| leader2_type = Deputy Mayor
| leader2 = Bréanainn Lyness
| party2 = Sinn Féin
| election1 =
| members = 40
| structure1 = MidAndEastAntrim2023.svg
| structure1_res = 260px
| political_groups1 =
{{Color box|{{party color|Democratic Unionist Party}}|border=darkgray}} DUP (13)
{{Color box|{{party color|Ulster Unionist Party}}|border=darkgray}} UUP (8)
{{Color box|{{party color|Alliance Party of Northern Ireland}}|border=darkgray}} Alliance (7)
{{Color box|{{party color|Traditional Unionist Voice}}|border=darkgray}} TUV (6)
{{Color box|{{party color|Sinn Féin}}|border=darkgray}} Sinn Féin (4)
{{Color box|{{party color|Independent politician}}|border=darkgray}} Independents (2)
| last_election1 = 18 May 2023
| session_room = Ballymena Town Hall (geograph 6611054).jpg
| session_res =
| meeting_place = The Braid
| website = {{Official URL}}
| footnotes =
}}
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
On 2 December 2021, the councils chief executive Anne Donaghy was suspended{{cite news|date=2 December 2021|title=Anne Donaghy: Suspended Mid and East Antrim chief takes legal action|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-59511673|access-date=2 December 2021}} and stated her intention to take legal action for discrimination.{{cite news|last=Hughes|first=Brendan|date=2 December 2021|title=Council boss taking legal action over 'disability discrimination'|url=https://www.belfastlive.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/anne-donaghy-taking-legal-action-22346462|access-date=2 December 2021|website=BelfastLive|language=en}} In January 2023, she announced her retirement.{{cite news |last=Hughes |first=Brendan |date=20 January 2023 |title=Council boss 'retires on health grounds' after year on suspension |url=https://www.belfastlive.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/mid-east-antrim-council-boss-26031812 |access-date=20 January 2023 |website=BelfastLive |language=en}}
In 2022, another DUP councillor, Marc Collins, was suspended for abusive tweets directed at Sinn Féin MP John Finucane and his family.{{cite news |last=Hargan |first=Garrett |date=29 June 2022 |title=DUP councillor Marc Collins suspended over tweets directed at Sinn Fein’s John Finucane |language=en-GB |work=belfasttelegraph |url=https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/dup-councillor-marc-collins-suspended-over-tweets-directed-at-sinn-feins-john-finucane-41801262.html |access-date=23 January 2023 |issn=0307-1235}}
Mayoralty
=Mayor=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| From
!To !scope="col" width="200" | Name !scope="col" width="150" colspan=2 | Party |
|---|
| 2015
|2016 |Billy Ashe | {{Party name with colour|Democratic Unionist Party}} |
| 2016
|2017 |Audrey Wales | {{Party name with colour|Democratic Unionist Party}} |
| 2017
|2018 |Paul Reid | {{Party name with colour|Democratic Unionist Party}} |
| 2018
|2019 |Lindsay Millar | {{Party name with colour|Ulster Unionist Party}} |
| 2019
|2020 |Maureen Morrow | {{Party name with colour|Ulster Unionist Party}} |
| 2020
|2021 |Peter Johnston | {{Party name with colour|Democratic Unionist Party}} |
| 2021
|2022 |William McCaughey | {{Party name with colour|Democratic Unionist Party}} |
| 2022
|2023 |Noel Williams | {{Party name with colour|Alliance Party of Northern Ireland}} |
| 2023
|2024 | Gerardine Mulvenna | {{Party name with colour|Alliance Party of Northern Ireland}} |
| 2024
|2025 |Beth Adger | {{Party name with colour|Democratic Unionist Party}} |
| 2025
|Present |William McCaughey | {{Party name with colour|Democratic Unionist Party}} |
=Deputy Mayor=
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| From
!To !scope="col" width="200" | Name !scope="col" width="150" colspan=2 | Party |
|---|
| 2015
|2016 | {{Party name with colour|Traditional Unionist Voice}} |
| 2016
|2017 |William McNeilly | {{Party name with colour|Ulster Unionist Party}} |
| 2017
|2018 | {{Party name with colour|Democratic Unionist Party}} |
| 2018
|2019 |Cheryl Johnston | {{Party name with colour|Democratic Unionist Party}} |
| 2019
|2020 |Beth Adger | {{Party name with colour|Democratic Unionist Party}} |
| 2020
|2021 |Andrew Wilson | {{Party name with colour|Ulster Unionist Party}} |
| 2021
|2022 |Matthew Armstrong | {{Party name with colour|Traditional Unionist Voice}} |
| 2022
|2023 |Beth Adger | {{Party name with colour|Democratic Unionist Party}} |
| 2023
|2024 |Stewart McDonald | {{Party name with colour|Traditional Unionist Voice}} |
| 2024
|Present | {{Party name with colour|Sinn Féin}} |
Councillors
For the purpose of elections the council is divided into seven district electoral areas (DEA):{{cite web|url=http://www.deac-ni.org/index/current-review-of-district-electoral-areas/final_ni_overview__300dpi_a1_.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150929020745/http://www.deac-ni.org/index/current-review-of-district-electoral-areas/final_ni_overview__300dpi_a1_.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=29 September 2015|title=Current review of district electoral areas}}
| class="wikitable" |
| Area
!Seats |
|---|
| Ballymena
|7 |
| Bannside
|6 |
| Braid
|7 |
| Carrick Castle
|5 |
| Coast Road
|5 |
| Knockagh
|5 |
| Larne Lough
|5 |
=Party strengths=
| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%;" |
| colspan=2|Party
!Elected !Elected !Elected ! |
|---|
| {{Party name with colour|Democratic Unionist Party}}
|align="right"|16 |align="right"|15 |align="right"|14 |align="right"|13 |
| style="background-color: {{party color|Ulster Unionist Party}}" |
|UUP |align="right"|9 |align="right"|7 |align="right"|8 |align="right"|8 |
| {{Party name with colour|Alliance Party of Northern Ireland}}
|align="right"|3 |align="right"|7 |align="right"|7 |align="right"|7 |
| style="background-color: {{party color|Traditional Unionist Voice}}" |
|TUV |align="right"|5 |align="right"|5 |align="right"|5 |align="right"|6 |
| {{Party name with colour|Sinn Féin}}
|align="right"|3 |align="right"|2 |align="right"|4 |align="right"|4 |
| style="background-color: {{party color|Independent politician}}" |
|align="right"|2 |align="right"|3 |align="right"|2 |align="right"|2 |
| style="background-color: {{party color|Social Democratic and Labour Party}}" |
|SDLP |align="right"|1 |align="right"|1 |align="right"|0 |align="right"|0 |
| style="background-color: {{party color|United Kingdom Independence Party}}" |
|UKIP |align="right"|1 |align="right"|0 |align="right"|0 |align="right"|0 |
=Councillors by electoral area=
{{further|2023 Mid and East Antrim District Council election}}
File:Mid and East Antrim blank.svg
{{Multi seat members begin
|constituency = District electoral area
|title = Current council members
}}
{{Multi seat constituency
|name = Ballymena
|seats = 7
|member1 = {{sortname|Rodney|Quigley|nolink=1}}
|party1 = Independent politician
|member2 = {{sortname|Matthew|Armstrong|nolink=1}}
|party2 = Traditional Unionist Voice
|member3 = {{sortname|Brian|Thompson|nolink=1}} †
|party3 = Ulster Unionist Party
|member4 = {{sortname|Bréanainn|Lyness|nolink=1}}
|party4 = Sinn Féin
|member5 = {{sortname|Reuben|Glover|nolink=1}}
|party5 = Democratic Unionist Party
|member6 = {{sortname|Jack|Gibson|nolink=1}} †
|party6 = Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
|member7 = {{sortname|Lawrie|Philpott|nolink=1}}
|party7 = Democratic Unionist Party
}}
{{Multi seat constituency
|name = Bannside
|seats = 6
|member1 = {{sortname|Anna|Henry||nolink=1}}†
|party1 = Traditional Unionist Voice
|member2 = {{sortname|Stewart|McDonald|nolink=1}}
|party2 = Traditional Unionist Voice
|member3 = {{sortname|Ian|Friary|nolink=1}}
|party3 = Sinn Féin
|member4 = {{sortname|Thomas|Gordon|nolink=1}}
|party4 = Democratic Unionist Party
|member5 = {{sortname|Tyler|Hoey|nolink=1}}
|party5 = Democratic Unionist Party
|member6 = {{sortname|Jackson|Minford|nolink=1}}
|party6 = Ulster Unionist Party
}}
{{Multi seat constituency
|name = Braid
|seats = 7
|member1 = {{sortname|Archie|Rae|nolink=1}}
|party1 = Sinn Féin
|member2 = {{sortname|Vacant||nolink=1}}
|party2 = Democratic Unionist Party
|member3 = {{sortname|William|McCaughey|nolink=1}}
|party3 = Democratic Unionist Party
|member4 = {{sortname|Christopher|Jamieson|nolink=1}}
|party4 = Traditional Unionist Voice
|member5 = {{sortname|Alan|Barr|nolink=1}}
|party5 = Ulster Unionist Party
|member6 = {{sortname|Chelsea|Harwood|nolink=1}}
|party6 = Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
|member7 = {{sortname|Matthew|Warwick|nolink=1}}
|party7 = Traditional Unionist Voice
}}
{{Multi seat constituency
|name = Carrick Castle
|seats = 5
|member1 = {{sortname|Lauren|Gray|nolink=1}}
|party1 = Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
|member2 = {{sortname|David|Clarke|nolink=1}} †‡‡
|party2 = Traditional Unionist Voice
|member3 = {{sortname|Billy|Ashe|nolink=1}}
|party3 = Democratic Unionist Party
|member4 = {{sortname|Robin|Stewart|nolink=1}}
|party4 = Ulster Unionist Party
|member5 = {{sortname|Bethany|Ferris|nolink=1}}
|party5 = Ulster Unionist Party
}}
{{Multi seat constituency
|name = Coast Road
|seats = 5
|member1 = {{sortname|James|McKeown|nolink=1}}
|party1 = Sinn Féin
|member2 = {{sortname|Andrew|Clarke|nolink=1}}
|party2 = Democratic Unionist Party
|member3 = {{sortname|Geraldine|Mulvenna|nolink=1}}
|party3 = Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
|member4 = {{sortname|Angela|Smyth|nolink=1}}
|party4 = Democratic Unionist Party
|member5 = {{sortname|Maureen|Morrow|nolink=1}}
|party5 = Ulster Unionist Party
}}
{{Multi seat constituency
|name = Knockagh
|seats = 5
|member1 = {{sortname|Bobby|Hadden|nolink=1}}
|party1 = Independent politician
|member2 = {{sortname|Peter|Johnston|nolink=1}}
|party2 = Democratic Unionist Party
|member3 = {{sortname|Marc|Collins|nolink=1}}
|party3 = Democratic Unionist Party
|member4 = {{sortname|Andrew|Wilson|nolink=1}}
|party4 = Ulster Unionist Party
|member5 = {{sortname|Aaron|Skinner|nolink=1}}
|party5 = Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
}}
{{Multi seat constituency
|name = Larne Lough
|seats = 5
|member1 = {{sortname|Maeve|Donnelly|nolink=1}}
|party1 = Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
|member2 = {{sortname|Gregg|McKeen|nolink=1}}
|party2 = Democratic Unionist Party
|member3 = {{sortname|Roy|Beggs Jr}}
|party3 = Ulster Unionist Party
|member4 = {{sortname|Robert|Logan|nolink=1}}
|party4 = Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
|member5 = {{sortname|Paul|Reid|nolink=1}}
|party5 = Democratic Unionist Party
}}
{{end}}
Population
The area covered by the Council has a population of 135,338 residents according to the 2011 Northern Ireland census.{{cite web|title=NI Census 2011 - Key Statistics Summary Report, September 2014 |url=http://www.nisra.gov.uk/archive/census/2011/results/key-statistics/summary-report.pdf |website=NI Statistics and Research Agency |accessdate=28 September 2014 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141215081312/http://www.nisra.gov.uk/archive/census/2011/results/key-statistics/summary-report.pdf |archivedate=15 December 2014 }}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website}}
- [https://www.shapedbyseaandstone.com/ Official tourism website]
{{NI districts}}
Category:District councils of Northern Ireland
Category:Politics of County Antrim