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Cllr David Lee-Surginor has been appointed as Deputy Chair of the Council at Monday night’s AGM of Newry, Mourne and Down District Council, marking the first time the party has held this position in its history. Cllr Lee-Surginor is also the first Deputy Chair from an ethnic background. This milestone reflects the party’s successful council election last year, in which they elected their largest team to the Newry, Mourne, and Down District Council, securing five councillors.
The party have also recently added Cllr Helena Young to their council team, following her co-option into the Slieve Croob seat after her predecessor, Andrew McMurray, was appointed South Down MLA.
Additionally, Cllr Tierna Howie will serve as Chair of the Strategy, Policy, and Resource Committee, while Cllr Cadogan Enright will take on the role of Deputy Chair of the Sustainability and Environment Committee. Cllr Jill Truesdale will also lead the Alliance Council grouping.
The new Deputy Chair, Cllr Lee-Surginor said "I am delighted to represent the Alliance Party and the Council as Deputy Chair this year. It is important that our council supports and reflects a commitment to the diversity of our area. I hope to embody this commitment during my tenure, alongside promoting Alliance values to create a shared and united community."
Council Party leader Cllr Truesdale commented, "This is a very exciting year for the Alliance Party as we hold the Deputy Chair position of the council for the first time, alongside several other key roles on council committees. We have a strong track record of scrutinising council management and will continue to ensure ratepayers receive value for their money in council services. This includes our opposition to the expensive Mourne Gateway Project and Newry Civic Centre and advocating for environmental proposals that can generate income for the council."
