Katherine Newman is the Ulster Unionist Party’s new councillor for the Bangor West DEA. The move follows Linzi McLaren’s decision to resign from the council and from the UUP.
Linzi McLaren has quit the Ulster Unionist Party, saying she has concerns about the lack of female representation in the party, and that the party has made “grave errors” with the Irish language. She is stepping down from the council to allow the UUP to co-opt a replacement.
New mayors and deputy mayors have been appointed throughout Northern Ireland, as the eleven councils go through the process of announcing their leadership teams for the 2025/26 term. We go through each council in NI.
Former Ulster Unionist Party election candidate Naomi McBurney has been co-opted by the Alliance Party to sit on Ards and North Down Council, replacing Christine Creighton, who stepped down just over a week ago.
Alliance Party councillor Gillian McCollum has been moved to the Holywood and Clandeboye District Electoral Area (DEA) on Ards and North Down Borough Council, to replace David Rossiter, who stepped down from the council last month and has since left Alliance.
The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) have co-opted Carl McClean to Ards and North Down Borough Council to replace Peter Martin MLA, who was co-opted to the Assembly by Alex Easton.
The Democratic Unionist Party have selected Eddie Thompson as their new councillor for Bangor East and Donaghadee on Ards and North Down Council, following Janice McArthur stepping down.
Former MLA Rachel Woods is set to step back from politics at the end of October in order to take up a new job.
The selection of Alex Harbinson follows the resignation of Karen Douglas in August.