NI councils: Sinn Féin and DUP hold top jobs at eight councils

Belfast City Council is Northern Ireland's biggest with 60 councillors

A Sinn Féin or DUP representative holds the top position in eight of Northern Ireland's 11 councils.

Sinn Féin hold two of the most prominent positions, lord mayor of Belfast and mayor of Derry City and Strabane Council.

In total, Sinn Féin and the DUP each hold four top posts while the Alliance Party has two and the SDLP has one.

The mayors or chairpersons of local authorities traditionally change at the start of June.

All councils have now filled their leading positions for the next 12 months.

A local government election is due to take place at the start of May in 2023.

The last council to confirm the top two positions for the coming year was Causeway Coast and Glens.

It confirmed the posts on Tuesday evening when DUP councillor Ivor Wallace was nominated as mayor, with Sinn Féin councillor Kathleen McGurk as deputy mayor.

NI's 11 councils came into being in 2015 after reform of the previous system

In Mid Ulster, the roles are reversed with Sinn Féin in the lead role and the DUP taking up the secondary position.

Cora Corry (Sinn Féin) is the new chairperson of the council with Frances Burton (DUP) as vice-chairperson.

D'Hondt system

In Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Council, the DUP will hold both the mayor and deputy mayor posts for the next 12 months.

This is due to the the D'Hondt system, a mathematical formula which decides who holds the posts based on the number of seats they have on the council.

One of the best known politicians to be installed into a lead position is the new chairperson of Fermanagh and Omagh Council, Barry McElduff of Sinn Féin - a former assembly member and MP.

In the most recent council election in 2019, the DUP won the most seats (122) followed by Sinn Fein (105), the Ulster Unionist Party (75), SDLP (59) and the Alliance Party (53).

In total, there are 462 councillors in Northern Ireland. With 60 seats, Belfast is the largest council.

Below is a list of the top two positions in each of the councils:

• Belfast City Council - Tina Black (Sinn Féin) Lord Mayor, Michelle Kelly (Alliance) Deputy Mayor

• Derry City and Strabane - Sandra Duffy (Sinn Féin) Mayor, Angela Dobbins (SDLP) Deputy Mayor

• Antrim and Newtownabbey - Stephen Ross (DUP) Mayor, Leah Smyth (UUP) Deputy Mayor

• Ards and North Down - Karen Douglas (Alliance) Mayor, Craig Blaney (UUP) Deputy Mayor

• Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon - Paul Greenfield (DUP) Lord Mayor, Tim McClelland (DUP) Deputy Mayor

• Causeway Coast and Glens - Ivor Wallace (DUP) Mayor, Kathleen McGrath (Sinn Féin) Deputy Mayor

• Fermanagh and Omagh - Barry McElduff (Sinn Féin) Chairperson, Allan Rainey (UUP) Vice Chairperson

• Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council - Scott Carson (DUP) Mayor, Michelle Guy (Alliance) Deputy Mayor

• Mid and East Antrim Council - Noel Williams (Alliance) Mayor, Beth Adger (DUP) Deputy Mayor

• Mid Ulster Council - Cora Corry (Sinn Féin) Chairpeson, Frances Burton (DUP) Vice Chairperson

• Newry, Mourne and Down Council - Michael Savage (SDLP) Chairperson, Aoife Finnegan (Sinn Féin) Vice Chairperson