Northern Ireland elections 2023: The councillors calling it a day

Voters in Northern Ireland go to the polls on 18 May

In one week people across Northern Ireland will be voting in the council elections.

The posters have been placed on lampposts and leaflets have been posted through the doors.

However, look closely and you may notice that some of the smiling faces on those posters and leaflets have changed.

For various reasons - perhaps their health, a happy retirement, work or family commitments - many have decided not to put their name on the ballot this time out.

Unlike Stormont assembly members or Westminster MPs, councillors often have full-time jobs alongside their role as public representatives.

'No spring chicken'

Charlie Casey was first elected as a Sinn Féin councillor in 2001. He served as mayor of Newry and Mourne District Council in 2011-12 and chairman of its successor, Newry, Mourne and Down District Council, in 2019-20.

A former republican prisoner, Mr Casey said he was always community orientated and was the "go-to person" when issues arose, which made becoming a councillor "a natural progression".

"It was a bit of a challenge but I always wanted to work for the ordinary person on the street to benefit and get what they deserve," he said.

Charlie Casey has been a councillor for more than two decades

Mr Casey said he was proud to have been elected so many times.

But he said the rise of social media in recent years has presented a new challenge compared to when he started out as a councillor.

"You are trying to do what you believe is best for the community and then you have these keyboard warriors," he said.

"They think they know everything but don't put themselves in the same position as a councillor."

Describing himself as "no spring chicken", Mr Casey decided in December that it was time to step aside.

"I had always said I wanted to retire at 75, which I turned in January," he said.

"There is a new breed of councillor, younger models than me with much more eager aspirations than me and it's time to pass the torch."

'A steep learning curve'

Kim Ashton served three terms as a Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) councillor in the Dungannon district electoral area.

She said: "Back in 2011, a vacancy came up and I was encouraged by the men in the party to put myself forward.

"So rightly or wrongly, I said: 'Yes let's give it a go.'

"Twelve years on that's how we got here."

The 37-year-old is the first to admit there was a steep learning curve.

Kim Ashton believes it is time someone else got the chance she got in 2011

"The first four years, when you are younger, you make the odd mistake but as the years go on you become one of the experienced ones," she said.

The daughter of DUP veteran Paul Bell, Ms Ashton also served as Mid Ulster Council chairwoman in 2017-18 and spent a short time as a special advisor to then-First Minister Arlene Foster.

Ms Ashton said she always tried to respect all communities as a councillor, which she said was not always easy but "was the right thing to do".

Now she believes someone else deserves the chance she got in 2011.

"I have had a range of a political career and I am also in the private sector and my husband has had a lot to put up with over those 12 years," she said.

Work and family

Brian Pope said he got involved with the Alliance Party when he returned home from living in Scotland and was "frustrated" with politics in Northern Ireland.

"What really chimed with me was the 'shared future', really everyday issues, infrastructure, the economy and everything that [party leader] Naomi Long was talking about," he said.

The 57-year-old was elected to Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough council in the 2019 election.

Mr Pope said most of the work on council was done in committees, where councillors across party lines often agreed on issues such as financial aid, parks and community groups.

Brian Pope has seen his non-council workload double recently

"Unfortunately, what gets all the headlines is those contentious issues where I'm sitting in a full council meeting for five hours but it ends with us have a cup of tea together afterwards," he said.

After just one term as a councillor, the civil engineer decided against running again after seeing his workload double in the past year.

"I give 100% anything and I just thought that if I carried on, or if I was lucky enough to be elected again, I wouldn't be able to give the time to it that I have over the last four years," he said.

"I also have a young family so that's a critical element too".

60 years in unionist politics

Jim Speers on the other hand has served as a councillor for four-and-a-half decades.

He was first elected to what was then Armagh City and District Council for the Ulster Unionist Party in 1977.

Mr Speers, who served as mayor of Armagh twice, got involved with the Young Unionist movement at the age of 16 and said he never looked back.

"I got into it partly as a social outlet and I was involved in various community activities, which would have been the likes of bicycle and pram races in the [Armagh] Mall in those days".

He said he was drawn to the movement by his interest in politics and strong belief in the union.

Jim Speers has been involved with unionist politics for 60 years

During his time, Mr Speers saw Pat Brannigan of the nationalist Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) elected as Armagh council's first nationalist chairman.

"That broke the mould at the time and set the tone. We worked great together, though we had our arguments," said Mr Speers.

"Every councillor wants what is best for their area - many times, the same things, irrespective of their political views - and I think that is important".

After 46 years as a councillor and "a few birthdays", the 76-year-old has decided it is time for someone else to take on the baton.

"My hearing is slightly defective, I have served long enough and I think it time for new people to have a new opportunity", he said.

Third generation councillor

John Trainor is a third-generation councillor for the SDLP but said it was not family that led him into the political sphere.

The 33-year-old said he was inspired by co-worker Colin McGrath - an SDLP assembly member - at Patrician Youth Club in Downpatrick

"With the family I would have the SDLP politics behind me, but seeing him as a councillor, having that sort of youthful vigour with regard to politics - and the passion - that kind of opened doors," he said.

Mr Trainor became more involved in the party and was co-opted on to Newry, Mourne and Down District Council in 2016 before being elected in 2019.

John Trainor (back right) with his father, John, his mother Anne and grandmother Ann Quinn

"As with my grandfather, health was big issue for me and I was glad to be involved in the formation of a health working group within the council that liaised with the trust directly," he said,

Now he has made the decision to step back for his own health.

Mr Trainor lost his father in 2020, got several bouts of Covid and has since had anxiety, depression and insomnia while acting as a councillor and working in the civil service.

"I've been focusing on myself and I know the pressures that elections bring. I had to think, 'Can I carry my own burden and those of others?'" he said.

"Unfortunately it was a decision I had to make for someone else to step up."

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