New Mayor and Deputy Mayor announced for Mid and East Antrim

Monday 5 June 2023

Alderman Stewart McDonald has been confirmed as the Borough’s Deputy Mayor.

The appointments were announced at the Council’s Annual General Meeting in The Braid in Ballymena, today (Monday 5 June).

At the same meeting, Chairs, Deputy Chairs and members of Council’s committees were also agreed.

Coast Road representative Alderman Mulvenna takes over the chain of office from her Alliance party colleague Noel Williams, while Alderman McDonald - a TUV representative for the Bannside area on Council – replaces Councillor Beth Adger MBE as Deputy Mayor.

Alderman Mulvenna said: “It is a great pleasure and privilege to have been selected to serve as Mayor of Mid and East Antrim Borough Council.

“I thank my party colleagues for placing their faith in me, following on from the citizens who returned me to Council in the recent election. I look forward to repaying your confidence in me and serving you and all the people of Mid and East Antrim as a Mayor for all.

“Congratulations to our new Deputy Mayor, Alderman McDonald, who I look forward to working closely with throughout the next 12 months and who I know will be an excellent ambassador for our Borough when carrying out the duties of this prestigious role.

“I want to take this opportunity to pay tribute to my predecessor, party colleague and true friend, Noel Williams, from whom I am taking over the chain of office.

“Over the past year, Noel exemplified what it means to be Mayor, serving as he did throughout his working career, with distinction, professionalism and fairness.”

The new Mayor added: “Having been involved in local politics for many years, including as Mayor of Larne Borough Council in 2012, I see first-hand, day in, day out, the brilliant work that our Members and staff do on the ground for the people of Mid and East Antrim.

“We have so much to be proud of in Mid and East Antrim and as Mayor I want us to be shouting from the rooftops when it comes to the many jewels in our crown.”

The Deputy Mayor said: “I count it a great honour to be nominated by my TUV colleagues for this office. No doubt there will be occasion in the incoming year when I will seek your help and guidance. It is reassuring to know that I will have that guidance on hand when I need it.

“I want also to say thank you to the people who are ultimately responsible for me standing here today – the electors of Bannside. While I look forward to serving people across the Borough in the office of Deputy Mayor, I will never forget that it was the people of Bannside who I grew up with and now raise my family among who made this possible. To them I will always be grateful.

“In my time as Deputy Mayor I hope that I will have opportunity not to promote myself or my party but to highlight the contributions of some of those who do so much, often on a voluntary basis, to make Mid and East Antrim such a fantastic place to live in.”