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Home | Northern Ireland district | Ards Borough Council
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The borough has four district electoral areas: Newtownards, Ards West, Ards East and Ards Peninsula, from which 23 members are elected. At the 2005 election members were elected from the following political parties: 13 Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), 6 Ulster Unionist Party (UUP), 3 Alliance Party, and 1 Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP). The current mayor is Councillor Robin Drysdale (DUP) and the deputy mayor is Councillor James Fletcher (UUP). The current DUP team has now fallen to 11 following the re-designation of two councillors as independents. As such, from February 2007, the DUP has lost its overall majority in the council chamber. Strangford Lough is at the heart of the area, and is the largest inlet in Ireland with internationally-renowned wildlife. The Irish Sea coast stretches from Donaghadee to Portaferry. Mount Stewart, a National Trust property on the shore of Strangford Lough is in the area, as well as Northern Ireland’s only aquarium, Exploris, in Portaferry and Grace Neill's, holder of the Guinness Book of Records title of the oldest pub on Ireland. In elections for the Westminster Parliament and Northern Ireland Assembly it is mostly in the Strangford constituency, with part in the North Down constituency. The borough of Ards has a sister city (twinning) relationship with the city of Peoria, Arizona, USA. As a result of this relationship, regular exchange visits are made between the two communities by artists, educators, business, political, and community leaders. |
