1997 Castlereagh Borough Council election

Main article: Northern Ireland local elections, 1997

1997 Castlereagh Borough Council election

21 May 1997 (1997-05-21)
All 23 seats to Castlereagh Borough Council 12 seats needed for a majority
First party Second party Third party   Party Democratic Unionist Ulster Unionist Alliance Seats won 10 5 4 Seat change 1 1 1   Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party   Party Social Democratic and Labour UK Unionist Ind. Unionist Seats won 2 1 1 Seat change 2 1 1   Seventh party   Party UPUP Seats won 0 Seat change 1

Elections to Castlereagh Borough Council were held on 21 May 1997 on the same day as the other Northern Irish local government elections. The election used four district electoral areas to elect a total of 23 councillors.

Election results

Castlereagh Borough Council Election Result 1997

Party		Seats	Gains	Losses	Net gain/loss	Seats %	Votes %	Votes	+/−
	Democratic Unionist	10	1	0	1	43.5	44.2	9,214	0.1
	Ulster Unionist	5	0	1	1	21.7	19.6	4,088	2.3
	Alliance	4	0	1	1	17.4	18.7	3,898	3.2
	Social Democratic and Labour	2	0	0	2	8.7	8.2	1,707	8.2
	Ind. Unionist	1	0	1	1	4.3	4.2	874	0.4
	UK Unionist	1	1	0	1	4.3	1.3	267	New
	PUP	0	0	0	0	0.0	1.8	367	1.9
	Ulster Democratic	0	0	0	0	0.0	1.5	303	New
	Independent	0	0	0	0	4.3	0.6	115	0.6

Note: "Votes" are the first preference votes.

Districts summary

Results of the Castlereagh Borough Council election, 1997
by district

Ward	%	Cllrs	%	Cllrs	%	Cllrs	%	Cllrs	%	Cllrs	%	Cllrs	Total Cllrs
	DUP		UUP		Alliance		SDLP		UKUP		Others
Castlereagh Central	58.7	3	17.0	1	14.6	1	4.4	0	5.3	1	0.0	0	6
Castlereagh East	53.0	4	11.1	1	18.9	1	0.0	0	0.0	0	17.0	1	7
Castlereagh South	27.4	1	31.2	2	23.9	1	17.5	1	0.0	0	0.0	0	5
Castlereagh West	35.4	2	21.2	1	17.4	1	12.9	1	0.0	0	13.1	0	5
Total	44.2	10	19.6	5	18.7	4	8.2	2	1.3	1	8.0	1	23

Districts results

Castlereagh Central

1993: 4 x DUP, 1 x Alliance, 1 x UUP, 1 x Independent Unionist
1997: 4 x DUP, 1 x Alliance, 1 x UUP, 1 x UKUP
1993-1997 Change: Independent Unionist joins UKUP

Castlereagh Central - 6 seats

Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count
				1	2	3	4	5	6
	Democratic Unionist	Peter Robinson*	55.30%	2,783
	Ulster Unionist	Alan Carson*	16.97%	854
	Democratic Unionist	John Norris*	1.21%	61	950.2
	Alliance	Patrick Mitchell*	11.92%	600	623.56	626.96	644.3	966.3
	Democratic Unionist	John Dunn	1.73%	87	593.92	662.12	684.05	689.12	698.12
	UK Unionist	Grant Dillon*	5.30%	267	516.28	528.28	591.69	609.59	684.59
	Democratic Unionist	Alwyn McClernon	0.46%	23	372.6	512.4	527.53	541.35	548.35
	Social Democratic and Labour	Dominic Marsella	4.45%	224	225.52	225.52	225.69
	Alliance	Ann Smith	2.66%	134	161.36	162.76	171.94
Electorate: 11,033   Valid: 5,033 (45.62%)   Spoilt: 148   Quota: 720   Turnout: 5,181 (46.96%)

Castlereagh East

1993: 3 x DUP, 1 x Alliance, 1 x UUP, 1 x UPUP, 1 x Independent Unionist
1997: 4 x DUP, 1 x Alliance, 1 x UUP, 1 x Independent Unionist
1993-1997 Change: UPUP joins DUP

Castlereagh East - 7 seats

Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count
				1	2	3	4	5	6
	Democratic Unionist	Iris Robinson*	46.08%	2,787
	Democratic Unionist	Tommy Jeffers*	2.84%	172	799.52
	Ulster Unionist	Sarah Cummings	11.11%	672	768.2
	Ind. Unionist	William Abraham*	10.04%	607	721.7	757.4
	Democratic Unionist	Sandy Geddis*	2.65%	160	643.96	663.92	733.56	810.56
	Alliance	Peter Osborne*	11.19%	677	709.56	721.3	728.48	757.18
	Democratic Unionist	Kim Morton	1.21%	73	400.82	411.56	555.72	624.32	663.32
	Alliance	Michael Long	7.71%	466	486.72	504.2	505.68	539.12	545.12
	Ulster Democratic	Stephen McNally	5.01%	303	365.16	387.12	401.44
	Democratic Unionist	Sarah Seddon	0.26%	16	246.14	248.88
	Independent	David Brown	1.90%	115	130.54
Electorate: 15,542   Valid: 6,048 (38.91%)   Spoilt: 130   Quota: 757   Turnout: 6,178 (39.75%)

Castlereagh South

1993: 2 x UUP, 2 x Alliance, 1 x DUP
1997: 2 x UUP, 1 x Alliance, 1 x DUP, 1 x SDLP
1993-1997 Change: SDLP gain from Alliance

Castlereagh South - 5 seats

Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count
				1	2	3	4	5	6
	Ulster Unionist	John Beattie*	24.66%	1,219
	Democratic Unionist	Myreve Chambers*	23.18%	1,146
	Social Democratic and Labour	Arthur Hegney	17.48%	864
	Ulster Unionist	Michael Henderson	6.57%	325	681.4	705.2	862.2
	Alliance	Geraldine Rice*	12.70%	628	634.27	639.31	675.55	697.4	714.45
	Alliance	Margaret Marshall*	11.25%	556	564.91	569.67	647.48	664.53	685.43
	Democratic Unionist	Andrew Ramsey	4.95%	205	224.8	505.36
Electorate: 11,873   Valid: 4,943 (41.63%)   Spoilt: 67   Quota: 824   Turnout: 5,010 (42.20%)

Castlereagh West

1993: 2 x UUP, 2 x DUP, 1 x Alliance
1997: 2 x DUP, 1 x UUP, 1 x Alliance, 1 x SDLP
1993-1997 Change: SDLP gain from UUP

Castlereagh West - 5 seats

Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count
				1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
	Democratic Unionist	William Clulow*	19.80%	952
	Alliance	Sara Duncan	14.49%	697	700.45	816.45
	Democratic Unionist	Mark Robinson	12.62%	607	698.5	701.5	815.5
	Ulster Unionist	Cecil Hall	15.47%	744	759.15	763.3	777.85	781.3	788.5	1,024.5
	Social Democratic and Labour	Rosaleen Hughes*	12.87%	619	619.3	625.3	626.45	631.85	631.85	631.85	637.85	659.6
	PUP	Samuel Johnston	7.63%	367	371.8	373.8	378.15	380.4	382	404.9	448.9	651.25
	Ind. Unionist	Ernest Harper*	5.55%	267	279.6	281.75	289.15	291.55	294.15	313.5	418.5
	Ulster Unionist	Marie Luney	5.70%	274	276.25	277.25	284.3	285.2	287.2
	Democratic Unionist	Thomas Scott	2.95%	142	153.4	153.4
	Alliance	Malcolm Gilmore	2.91%	140	140.3
Electorate: 11,140   Valid: 4,809 (43.17%)   Spoilt: 87   Quota: 802   Turnout: 4,896 (43.95%)