Independents flex muscles as a major force on council

Independents flex muscles as a major force on council

19 August 2015

A NEW political grouping has changed the face of politics in the new Newry, Mourne and Down Council.

Six councillors make up the new independents group, the third largest grouping on the new super council behind Sinn Fein and the SDLP. The DUP and UUP have three members each.

The new group, which comprises councillors Cadogan Enright, Patrick Clarke, Jarlath Tinnelly, Davy Hyland, Patrick Brown and Kevin McAteer, believes its collective voting strength ensures it holds the balance of power.

Councillor Enright is from Downpatrick, with councillor Brown, who is an Alliance politician, from Rowallane. Councillor Tinnelly, who represents the Crotlieve electoral area, chairs the new council’s planning committee, while Kevin McAteer and Davy Hyland represent Newry town. Patrick Clarke represents Slieve Croob.

Councillor Brown, hailed the formal recognition of the new group as a “significant development” and complemented Ccuncillor Enright for leading the campaign for recognition.

“This is a very significant development and has already shown it’s worth in swinging the balance of power on important several local issues, most recently, the controversy over private swimming lessons at the Down and Newry leisure centres,” he said.

“The legacy councils of Newry and Mourne and Down were traditionally dominated by Sinn Féin and the SDLP respectively. This will now no longer be possible in the new super council.”

Councillor Brown is confident the new group will ensure all issues are “decided on the facts” and not on the basis of any one party’s ideology. 

He added: “Councillor Enright deserves praise in persisting with this campaign over 15 months and, as a result, I nominated him as group leader for the coming year, with councillor Hyland to succeed him next May.”

Councillor Enright has been acting as unofficial group leader for over a year, negotiating the agreement between the ‘Indy-Alliance’ councillors and working with the leaders of the other political parties to secure agreement.

He said official recognition for the group has taken some “determined campaigning” over the past year which he revealed came up against many obstacles. 

“However, the unity of our group in most council votes has often given us the balance of power. This has brought about a realisation within the other political groupings that it was a ‘done deal’ and recognition was now inevitable. This has resulted in considerably more influence both within and without the council,” he added.