As you were in Bushvale?

The DUP’s Evelyne Robinson topped the poll with 767 votes well in advance of the 577 quota set after a 56.62 per cent turn out. In total, there were 3058 votes.

Cllr. Robinson’s DUP colleague, Frank Campbell, also beat the quota with 599 votes and Bill Kennedy, who ran unsuccessfully for the Assembly as a UUP representative, polled 532 first preferences.

Sinn Fein’s Anita Cavlan recorded a healtby 504 votes with veteran councillor, Harry Connolly, fifth on 454 votes.

Peter Deans of the TUV got 202 votes with Jamie Gaston, Sinn Fein, polling a disappointing 176. The other Ulster Unionist candidate, William Johnston, got 224 votes.

With such a gap between the first five and the remaining three candidates, there seemed no doubt that the five existing councillors would be re-elected keeping the make up in that Ward exactly the same.

Cllr. Robinson, who was delighted at her 3000 plus votes in the Assembly elections, said she had covered hundreds of miles canvassing for both elections and her colleague, Frank Campbell, felt his success was also down to hard work.

Bill Kennedy admitted it had been a difficult time for the Ulster Unionist party, but was very happy that he came in third.