Council Vote Reflects DUP/SF Dominance

There have been continuing losses in the local council elections for the two parties to fare worst in the Assembly poll - the Ulster Unionists and the SDLP.

The gains in the local election - just as for Stormont - are for the DUP, Sinn Fein and Alliance.

In Belfast, Alliance again looks set to hold the balance of power when counting is completed on Tuesday.

In Lord Empey's old Pottinger Ward, the UUP returned with no council seats after Alliance's Maire Hendron topped the poll with 1,895 votes.

The news has been bad for the SDLP too, which until now has performed considerably better at council level against Sinn Fein than in Assembly and Westminster elections.

It lost seats in several key areas to Sinn Fein.

Alliance Leader David Ford has said the party is on course of significant gains in the local government elections and said the party has had an excellent election.

He thanked everyone who voted for Alliance and paid tribute to the hard work of all the Alliance candidates and their teams across Northern Ireland.

"This has been very good election for Alliance with potentially around ten extra Council seats being won by us.

"We are growing as a party right across Northern Ireland and our significant number of gains demonstrates a real change in politics here.

"We ran a very positive campaign and our clear message of building a shared future and leading change has resonated very strongly with people right across Northern Ireland," he said.

The party has been doing well in several area with the Alliance Group Leader in Newtownabbey, Cllr Tom Campbell welcoming an increased vote for Alliance.

Cllr Campbell, who was elected in the University Ward with party colleague, Lynn Frazer, said: "When I was first elected to Newtownabbey Council in 2005 we had only one councillor and now we have five Alliance members.

"I have no doubt that this significantly increased mandate is a vote for positive and constructive politics in the Council chamber.

"I am delighted with the vote," he said, noting that both John Blair and Billy Webb topped the polls in their respective areas and underlining that Alliance had now also been joined by Pat McCudden in Ballyclare," he concluded.

(BMcC/GK)