The Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) has announced that Aurla King has been co-opted onto Newry, Mourne and Down District Council.
She replaces Councillor Gareth Sharvin, who has resigned after taking on a new role in the private sector.
King ran in the 2023 council elections but was not successful.
Commenting on her selection, Councillor King said: “I’m delighted to have been given the opportunity to serve my local community as a councillor. I would like to thank and pay tribute to my predecessor Gareth Sharvin for all the hard work he has done for this area and its people over the past 14 years. I have no doubt he will continue to be a source of advice and support.
“As a proud Saul woman, I am deeply passionate about improving outcomes for families across this area.
“As a mother of three, and someone who lives and works locally and is involved in a number of sporting and community organisations, I am all too aware of the challenges families are facing.
“I want to use my platform as a councillor to advocate for real, practical solutions that will help deliver the SDLP’s vision of a positive, inclusive future for our community.”
SDLP leader Claire Hanna thanked Gareth Sharvin for his almost 15 years of service as a Downpatrick councillor.
“We are sincerely grateful to Gareth Sharvin for his dedicated service to the people of Downpatrick and to the SDLP. For well over a decade he has been a first-class servant for local people and I know that he will continue to be an activist and asset in the community.
“Gareth will certainly be missed, but I’m excited that Aurla King will be joining the SDLP team in Newry Mourne and Down. Aurla is a woman who has a record of getting things done and I have no doubt she will build on that work in her role as an SDLP councillor.”
