Councillors decide on new name for council

14 January 2015

THE name of Northern Ireland’s third largest ‘super council’ — representing an area stretching from Strangford Lough to Carlingford Lough — has been decided.

While the decision wasn’t unanimous, politicians have voted have to name the new council Newry, Mourne and Down District Council when it goes live on April 1.

Prior to last week’s meeting at the Downshire Civic Centre in Downpatrick, three potential names were on the table — South Down/South Armagh Council, Slieve Lough Council and Mourne Regional Council.

A Sinn Fein proposal to withdraw South Down/South Armagh and replace it with Newry City, Mourne and Gullion Council was agreed, with SDLP councillor Colin McGrath subsequently proposing Newry, Mourne and Down Council as the new council name. Sinn Fein said it had “no objection” to the SDLP proposal.

With four names now in the frame, it was agreed to vote on eliminating the two least popular, with the remaining two going head-to-head.

Mourne Regional Council was eliminated along with Slieve Lough Council, leaving Newry City, Mourne and Gullion Council fighting it out with Newry, Mourne and Down Council, which won by 23 votes to 17.

Sinn Fein councillors backed Newry City, Mourne and Gullion and while two SDLP councillors also supported this name, the remainder of the councillors in the chamber opted for Newry, Mourne and Down.

The decision came after a day of frenetic activity involving a number of parties keen to agree on the new name and avoid a public slanging match in the debating chamber. While there was no political row in public, some Republicans are understood to be unhappy with the council’s naming decision.

Prior to the vote being taken, Councillor Mickey Ruane, the leader of the council’s Sinn Fein members, explained that his party had held meetings to take on board “concerns” expressed by people about the suggestions. As a result, he proposed replacing South Down/South Armagh with Newry City, Mourne and Gullion.

Independent councillor Cadogan Enright said he believed South Down/South Armagh was “all encompassing” and reflected the entirety of the new council area in an accurate way. He expressed concern about Councillor Ruane’s proposal as there was no reference to Down.

DUP councillor Billy Walker expressed concern that despite a recommendation to put forward three potential names for the new council “others were now being thrown into the mix.”

He said the vote should be taken on the three names suggested by the shadow council’s Governance committee after it had engaged in extensive work which he claimed cost ratepayers in the region of £30,000.

“Parties who know their backs are to the wall on this issue are now throwing other names into the mix,” he added.

While Ulster Unionists backed Newry, Mourne and Down Council, the leader of their group, Councillor Robert Burgess, said he believed the new name should be Down County Council. However, he did not make any formal proposal.

Independent councillor Davy Hyland said that since the three potential names were put forward, people had an opportunity to consider them and that “other names have come up.” He said people in the area he represents were “amazed” Newry was not being recognised in any of the potential titles.

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