New Mayor of Derry Cllr Brenda Stevenson is congratulated by her predecessor Cllr Martin Reilly. Photo: Lorcan Doherty Photography.
The SDLP’s Brendan Stevenson has become the new Mayor of Derry.
Cllr Stevenson was elected unapposed at the last ever annual general meeting of Derry City Council earlier tonight.
Cllr Stevenson was proposed and seconded by party colleagues Cllr Gerard Diver and Cllr Angela Dobbins respectively.
Cllr Stevenson, a niece of former SDLP leader John Hume, will hold the post until 1 April next year when the newly-formed Derry City and Strabane District Council – – on to which she failed to get elected – comes into effect.
She succeeds party colleague, Cllr Martin Reilly, who served as First Citizen for the previous 12 months.
Outing Deputy Mayor, DUP Alderman Gary Middleton, was elected unopposed to hold the post again for another term after being proposed and seconded by party colleagues Maurice Devenney and Joe Millar respectively.
Cllr Jimmy Carr, who lost the support of the SDLP 48 hours before voters went to the polls in the Derry City and Strabane District Council, did not attend.
His father, Cllr Sean Carr – an elected SDLP member on the council – offered apologies for the non-attendance of his son.
Interest in the meeting was so great that councillors took the unusual step of allowing members of the public into the Council Chamber owing to the public gallery being packed out.
In is outgoing address, Cllr Reilly recalled many historic events during his year in office – including the All-Ireland Fleadh, the staging of the Turner Prize in Ireland for the first time, the Guildhall clock turning pink for the Gay Pride Festival and an AOH (Ancient Order of Hibernian) parade on the city’s Walls for the first time in 100 years.
He conceded while his year in office was a “great success,” there was sadness as well, especially the death of poet Seamus Heaney.
All the political parties on the council congratulated Cllr Reilly on his year in office.
In her acceptance speech, Cllr Stevenson said she was “very honoured” to take on the role and commended Cllr Reilly for the work he carried out on behalf of the people of Derry during his term in office.
Among the issues she pledged to work on were the expansion of the Magee campus of the University of Ulster and inward investment.
She also said she would work for all the people of the city and would not be “put off” by attacks such as the firebomb at the Everglades Hotel on Friday last.
She added: “Violence did not work in the past and it will not work now.
“The attack was not in our name and we will not support it.”
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