Election 2023: ABC Council: Unionists battle to maintain majority amid Stormont frustrations

The last council election in 2019 saw the DUP secure 11 seats and Sinn Fein ten, continuing to pull ahead of the UUP (10) and SDLP (six) with Alliance more than doubling their vote from 2014.

DUP Alderman Mark Baxter, from Lagan River said: "The unionist majority is currently only three seats so it is going to be very difficult to maintain the unionist majority. There's a big push for Sinn Fein to become the largest party - currently we have 11 members [but are running 15 candidates] and Sinn Fein has ten."

A nationalist majority could hit ratepayers directly in the pockets, he claims. As examples he says Sinn Fein brought legal challenges to celebrations marking the Queen's Platinum Jubilee and the NI Centenary, incurring hefty council legal bills.

On the doors, he says ratepayers are concerned about the cost of living, potholes, health "obviously" and education, as well as the sharp increase in rates bills.

But he also notes concerns over Stormont. "People are frustrated. They want to see the Executive running again - but they also want NI’s place in the UK secured".

His party leader is warning against splitting the unionist vote - which is rejected as misleading by UUP and TUV candidates. Mark accepts they are right "on paper" but says that "in reality" DUP MLA Mervyn Storey lost his North Antrim seat to Alliance in the Assembly PR election last year.

Banbridge UUP Councillor Jill MacAuley says her party is running 12 candidates - where it had held 10 before. "We're feeling very confident that we can maybe gain seats," she said.

For her, the number one issue on the doors is the lack of government at Stormont. "That's the main issue. The frustration is palpable on the doors,” she said.

People have also been strongly calling for no further disruption to bin collections after recent strikes.

She dismisses DUP warnings about splitting the vote. "It's your opportunity to vote for as many people as you want. It's not the case that the vote can be split in the PR election at all."

The TUV press officer Samuel Morrison is standing in the Lagan River area.

While the party has no councillors in ABC he is confident that their strong candidates can secure a breakthrough.

"In Portadown we are standing a well known figure in the Orange Order, local businessman Robert Oliver," he said. "We have Keith Ratcliffe running for us in Cusher - who polled exceptionally well in the Assembly elections and then we have Brian Moorhead standing in Banbridge."

He says they have carefully chosen to stand in areas where there is no threat of nationalism taking a seat.

"In PR elections, you cannot split the vote - unless there's a failure to transfer votes across the unionist family," he added.

He too is hearing that the Windsor Framework and related issues are the top issue on the doors.

"I think people want clarity from their elected representatives. You've got the DUP saying that they welcome elements of it [the Windsor Framework] and not making clear what they want to see changed.

Two other important issues he is hearing are the rising rates bills and the rising dilapidation in town centres and village.

YOUR CANDIDATES:

ARMAGH

Scott Armstrong (DUP)

Daniel Connolly (Aontú)

Fergal Donnelly (SF)

Sarah Duffy (SF)

Ashley Mallon (SF)

Sam Nicholson (UUP)

Thomas O'Hanlon (SDLP)

John Óg O'Kane (SF)

Gráinne O'Neill (SDLP)

Hanagh Winter (All)

BANBRIDGE

Glenn Barr (UUP)

Ian Burns (UUP)

Seamus Doyle (SDLP)

Joy Ferguson (All)

Paul Greenfield (DUP)

Jill MacAuley (UUP)

Chris McCartan (SF)

Brian Moorhead (TUV)

Kevin Savage (SF)

Ian Wilson (DUP)

CRAIGAVON

Robbie Alexander (All)

Jackie Coade (SDLP)

Kate Evans (UUP)

Jude Mallon (SF)

Declan McAlinden (SDLP)

Catherine Nelson (SF)

Ian Patterson (DUP)

Margaret Tinsley (DUP)

CUSHER

Paul Berry (Independent)

Bróna Haughey (SF)

Gordon Kennedy (UUP)

Emma Jayne McKernan (SDLP)

Ewan McNeill (UUP)

Keith Ratcliffe (TUV)

Mark Skillen (All)

Philip Weir (DUP)

Gareth Wilson (DUP)

LAGAN RIVER

Mark Baxter (DUP)

Oisín Edwards (SDLP)

Jessica Johnston (All)

Vincent McAleenan (SF)

Tim McClelland (DUP)

Sammy Morrison (TUV)

Sammy Ogle (UUP)

Paul Rankin (DUP)

Kyle Savage (UUP)

LURGAN

Peter Haire (DUP)

Keith Haughian (SF)

Peter Lavery (All)

Liam Mackle (SF)

Sorchá McGeown (SF)

Louise McKinstry (UUP)

Stephen Moutray (DUP)

Mary O'Dowd (SF)

Ciaran Toman (SDLP)

PORTADOWN

Paul Duffy (SF)

Julie Flaherty (UUP)

Emma Hutchinson (Alliance)

Claire McConville-Walker (SF)

Zoe Claire McCullough (UUP)

Lavelle McIlwrath (DUP)

Eamon McNeill (SDLP)

Kyle Moutray (DUP)

Alan Mulholland (DUP)

Robert Oliver (TUV)