‘David’s legacy must go on’

Independent councillor Claire Sugden, who took over David McClarty’s seat at the end of last year, has paid tribute to her ‘boss and mentor’.
By The Newsroom
Published 30th Apr 2014, 07:00 BST

Speaking at last Wednesday night’s Council meeting at Cloonavin, an emotional councillor Sugden, who was David’s research and communications Officer, proposed that Council should pay tribute to the former alderman, councillor and Mayor of the Borough in the Cloonavin building, before the Council merges with Limavady, Moyle and Ballymoney to become the Causeway Coast and Glens District Council

The proposal was backed unanimously.

Paying tribute to her ‘dear friend’, councillor Sudgen fought back the tears telling those present that she was ‘broken’ by David’s passing.
Calling him her ‘boss, mentor and dear friend’, the independent councillor, who is the youngest ever female councillor to sit on Coleraine Borough Council, told the meeting that anything she does in the future will have David in mind.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

She said: “This is seat is not about me or David, it’s about the constituents that we represent.”

She went on: “David will not be forgotten.

“I will ensure that he won’t be forgotten, I will continue his work whether as a councillor or not.”

Just before his death, David had posted on his facebook page that he was ‘delighted’ to propose councillor Sugden as the first ever candidate for the new Causeway Coast and Glens District Council for the forthcoming elections.

During the meeting all parties paid tribute to the former councillor: See page 9.

Related topics:Claire SugdenIndependentCouncilMayor