Newry, Mourne And Down District Council
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Newry, Mourne and Down District Council ( Irish: ''Comhairle Ceantair an Iúir, Mhúrn agus an Dúin'') is a local authority in
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that was established on 1 April 2015. It replaces Down District Council and
Newry and Mourne District Council Newry and Mourne District Council () was a local council in Northern Ireland. It merged with Down District Council in May 2015 under local government reorganisation in Northern Ireland to become Newry, Mourne and Down District Council. It inclu ...
and covers most of the southeast of Northern Ireland. The first elections to the authority were on 22 May 2014. At the 2019 Northern Ireland local elections,
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became the largest party with 16 seats. This success was continued at the 2023 Northern Ireland local elections, winning 20 seats.


Chairpersonship


Chairperson


Deputy Chairperson


Councillors

For the purpose of elections the council is divided into seven district electoral areas (DEA):


Party strengths


Councillors by electoral area

† Co-opted to replace an elected councillor


Councillor Incidents

The Mournes DEA DUP Councillor Glyn Hanna is currently the focus of media over the William Walker pervert case. William Walker, former Chairperson of Down District Council in 2014/2015, and DUP councillor for Rowallane, was in court in June 2023 over the charges. He admitted to sexual offences with underage girls, and Councillor Hanna provided a "positive" character reference for Walker. This has caused an outcry, including from DUP MLAs, including Edwin Poots, former DUP Leader.


Bilingualism policy

Newry, Mourne and Down District Council has a bilingualism policy which sets out the council's commitment to facilitate and encourage the promotion and use of both the Irish language and the English language in the Council area. The implementation of the policy is underpinned by the principle of progressive realisation.


Population

The area covered by the Council has a population of 171,533 residents according to the 2011 Northern Ireland census.


References

{{Northern Ireland districts 2015 establishments in Northern Ireland District councils of Northern Ireland Government agencies established in 2015 Politics of County Armagh Politics of County Down *