Less than half of councillors attend the first meeting of 2010

LESS than half of Newtownabbey councillors attended the authority's first council committee of 2010.

Just ten local councillors made it to Mossley Mill for the council’s monthly Planning and Consultation meeting.

Ballyclare councillor Vera McWilliam was the sole representative on the Ulster Unionist benches while the depleted DUP contingent consisted of Aldermen Paul Girvan, Nigel Hamilton and Billy Ball as well as councillor Robert Hill. The Alliance party boasted a full compliment with all three of its members, councillors Lynn Frazer, Billy Webb and Tom Campbell in attendance alongside the SDLP’s Noreen McClelland and Independent Fraser Agnew.

The chair of the planning committee, Alderman Hamilton welcomed everyone on what he said was “a cold and fosty evening”.