Councillor (Cllr) Michael Savage has been elected Newry, Mourne and Down District Council Chairperson at the Council’s Annual General Meeting held on Monday 6 June 2022. Cllr Aoife Finnegan (Sinn Féin) was elected Deputy Chairperson at the meeting.
In his inaugural speech as Chairperson, Cllr Savage spoke about ‘Hope and Ambition through Growth’ as the theme for his year in office. The importance of partnership working, continued economic regeneration, helping the district reach its full tourism potential and supporting our young people were also among the issues highlighted in his address.
Cllr Savage said, “I want to use the words ‘Hope and Ambition through Growth’ and translate them into action through everything that I do this year as Chairperson of Newry, Mourne and Down District Council. I firmly believe that now is a time like no other, to offer our people hope and work to help them fulfil their ambitions by providing opportunities through growth.”
He added, “The inward investment programme of Belfast Region City Deal and associated funding sources, as well as fulfilling Newry’s ambition as a City, working with the business community, statutory agencies and all our citizens to promote our district as a place to invest in will be central to my year ahead. Regeneration plans that are underway in Downpatrick are crucial to deliver economic hope and ambition. Promoting tourism will be key for the district, and this is achievable through the development of the 15 Acre City Park in Newry, The Gateway to The Mournes Project in Newcastle, Castlewellan Forest Park Project and Warrenpoint Baths.”
After paying tribute to the local community, voluntary, sporting club and charity sectors and NHS frontline workers, Cllr Savage said, “I have chosen to promote the following charities over the next 12 months: The Southern Area Hospice, Saint Vincent De Paul, Salvation Army, Simon Community and our local Foodbanks.”
Cllr Savage said that he was delighted to have Cllr Aoife Finnegan as Deputy Chairperson. He also thanked the outgoing Chairperson Cllr Michael Rice, former Chairperson Cllr Cathy Mason and the Deputy Chairperson Cllr Oonagh Magennis for their dedication and professionalism over the past year.
Newly appointed Deputy Chairperson Cllr Aoife Finnegan said, “It is a great honour for me to accept the nomination to be Deputy Chairperson for the upcoming year. I look forward to working with fellow councillors throughout the year to help and would like to thank Cllr Magennis, Cllr Mason and Cllr Rice for their service last year.”
Outgoing Chairperson, Cllr Michael Rice thanked members and Council officers for their support over his short tenure, welcoming Cllr Savage and Cllr Finnegan as well as paying tribute to Cllr Mason for highlighting the issue of Mental Health and raising the profile of ‘Breaking The Bias’ through her International Women’s Day Event. “Finally, I would like to pay tribute to my predecessor the late Sean Doran. Sean was a lifelong community activist with no task too much for him to undertake. His door was always open to all sides of the community. Even as his health began to deteriorate. He continued to take phone calls, advising people on who to contact for help.”
Outgoing Deputy Chairperson, Cllr Magennis also thanked members and Council officers for their support over the past year adding, “Thank you to former Chairperson Cllr Mason for the work she has done this year and to Cllr Rice for taking on the role of Chairperson over the last few weeks. I would like to congratulate Cllr Mason on her Assembly Election and wish her well in her new role. I would like to wish the incoming Chairperson Cllr Savage and incoming Deputy Chairperson all the best for the year ahead.”
Other business conducted at the meeting included the appointment of Chairpersons and Vice Chairpersons of the Council’s standing committees:
Active and Healthy Communities Committee
Chair – Councillor Hugh Gallagher
Vice Chair – Councillor Gavin Malone
Enterprise, Regeneration and Tourism Committee
Chair – Councillor Robert Burgess
Vice Chair – Councillor Dermot Curran
Neighbourhood Services
Chair – Councillor Oonagh Magennis
Vice Chair – Councillor Terry Andrews
Planning Committee
Chair – Councillor Declan McAteer
Vice Chair – Councillor Declan Murphy
Strategy, Policy and Resources Committee
Chair – Councillor Oonagh Hanlon
Vice Chair – Councillor Roisin Howell
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