THE DUP has announced the candidates that will be flying the party flag at the forthcoming local government elections.
As revealed in the Recorder several weeks ago, the party has chosen to field a candidate in Downpatrick with James Savage the nominated standard bearer as the party bids to potentially increase its representation on Newry, Mourne and Down Council.
Former Ulster Unionist Maynard Hanna has been chosen to retain the DUP’s Slieve Croob seat currently held by Garth Craig who is stepping down from frontline politics after eight years, while elsewhere across the district it is very much a case of as you were.
Billy Walker and Harry Harvey are out to retain their seats in Rowallane, while party stalwart Glyn Hanna will be bidding to defend his seat in the Mournes district electoral area. In the southern end of the council area, Wilma McCullough has been selected to stand in Crotlieve.
Cllr Walker, who is the DUP group leader on the local authority, said he was “honoured and privileged” to have been nominated to defend his seat.
He fought two previous elections to the former Down Council in 1989 and 1997 standing as an Independent Unionist before securing a seat for the DUP in 2005 when he joined the experienced William Dick in the chamber.
“I hope people across Rowallane will once again place their faith in me and I will do all I can to represent them,” said Cllr Walker. “While a member of the DUP I have worked tirelessly on a cross-community basis, in particular, alongside my SDLP colleague Terry Andrews to deliver for people.”
Cllr Walker said that at local authority level, politics was about working with others to deliver for people and he aimed to do that over the next four years, if re-elected.
He added: “I hope my record speaks for itself, working tirelessly for people on a wide range of issues. I have also worked closed with Strangford MP Jim Shannon to provide a first class service for everyone in Rowallane and hope people will once again place their trust in me.”
Cllr Harvey has thanked party officials for his nomination and aims to retain the seat he secured in 2014.
“My first election gave me an excellent opportunity to represent all the people of the area, serving them to the best of my ability on various council committees, including the Policing and Community Safety Partnership,” he said.
“I dedicated myself to representing people on a full-time basis which meant stepping back from my former employment. This step was necessary to allow me to give my very best to the position I held in council.”
Cllr Harvey explained that because the council area stretched from Saintfield to Crossmaglen, it involves a lot of travelling as committee meetings are held in Downpatrick and Newry.
He added: “It is necessary to have representation wherever these committees sit as decisions can be made in Newry which impact on Rowallane and the wider district. I and my party always endeavour to lobby and do what is best for the needs of the Rowallane area and hope people will give me their support once more and the opportunity to represent them again. If re-elected, I will continue to uphold my Christian principles in my politics.”
Mr Savage said he was “honoured” to have been chosen to contest the Downpatrick area where he faces a stiff challenge from Sinn Fein, the SDLP and current Independent councillor Cadogan Enright.
“While I have not been a DUP member for long, I have worked closely with our current councillors and previously shadowed First Minster Arlene Foster and Strangford MLAs Simon Hamilton and Michelle McIlveen who held a number of Stormont portfolios,” he said.
“I have served on multiple community groups, assisted with the organisation of cross-community activities and summer schemes and
also served two terms as the Youth Parliament member for the Strangford constituency, during which time I worked closely with Mr Shannon.”
Mr Savage said the Downpatrick area has been without unionist representation for well over a decade and he hopes to change that.
He added: “If elected, I will be a voice not only for unionists but for all the people in the Downpatrick district electoral area and believe I can help bring positive change to the area.”