Senior NI Green Party figure Ross Brown quits politics
One of the Green Party's most high profile figures in Northern Ireland is to quit politics two and a half years after a major breakthrough in which he won the Greens' first seat on Belfast City Council.
Ross Brown, who was elected to the council in 2014, stood for the Greens in May’s Assembly election, where he was in contention for a seat in East Belfast but ultimately lost out.
In a statement at lunch time today, the Greens announced that Mr Brown will resign his Ormiston seat on the council.
The party said that Mr Brown had decided to step down from politics last month, “having been offered a new job which will require him to move away from Northern Ireland”.
The party has already selected Georgina Milne to replace him on the council.
Mr Brown had worked in the Stormont office of the Green leader in Northern Ireland, Steven Agnew.
Mr Agnew said: “I would like to thank Ross for his hard work representing his constituents and wish him well for the future. Councillors work incredibly hard on behalf of their constituents, and Ross has been a shining example of this since his election in 2014.”
Mr Brown said “I want to take this opportunity to offer thanks to my mentors, fellow councillors and City Hall staff who have helped me serve my constituents as best I can.
“Most of all, however, I want to thank the people of East Belfast for putting their trust in me to represent them. I am sure that they will offer the same level of support to my successor, Georgina Milne, who I am confident will serve them well.”