Councillors Cora Corry and Frances Burton take up two top posts in Mid Ulster

At the council’s annual meeting on Monday (June 6), Sinn Fein Councillor Cora Corry was nominated to the position of Chair and DUP Councillor Frances Burton nominated to the position of Vice Chair.

Cllr Corry was first elected to the council in 2019 in the Carntogher DEA, while Cllr Burton has represented the Clogher Valley Area since 2005.

Nominating Cllr Corry to the role, Sinn Fein group leader Councillor Cathal Mallaghan said it gave him “great pleasure” to propose Cllr Corry as Chair for the next 12 months.

Addressing the chamber, the new Chair thanked the Sinn Fein for nominating her to the position of the Chair and the people of Carntogher for voting for her and promised to continue to work hard for them everyday she is in this position.

“Thank you also to my family, friends and colleagues for the support an encouragement you have given me over the years,” said the new Chair.

“I would also like to acknowledge the fantastic job that councillors Paul McLean and Christine McFlynn have done in the year gone by as Chair and Vice-Chair.

“I hope I can continue to run council meetings as efficiently as you both have and to attend as many events and engagements as you two have.

“I am a proud Ballinascreen, Derry and Mid Ulster woman and over the next year I want to continue to showcase the wonderful people and beauty of our area and reflect the open, inclusive and diverse area that Mid Ulster is and I want to be a Chair for everyone.”

The Chair continued: “The past couple of years have been extremely difficult for people as we have faced a global pandemic and I want to acknowledge the role of the many groups, organisations, councillors and the whole council team.

“We are now facing into a cost of living crisis and we must step up to the challenge and work together to do all we can to help workers, families and those who need it most in any way we can as a Council.

“The toll of both the pandemic and the cost of living crisis on peoples’ mental health has been immense and in the time ahead I would like to work with Council and many local groups who do sterling work to tackle mental health issues.

“Even with the challenges we have faced Mid Ulster is a growing area, recognised as an area of hard working people with a much sought after agri-food, construction, manufacturing and engineering industry.

“We have seen a huge growth in tourism which allows us to show our local talent, hospitality, heritage and the beauty of the Sperrins and surrounding areas. Together I want us to build on this work and bring quality well paid jobs to the area.”

Councillor Frances Burton was nominated to the role of Vice Chair by the DUP’s party group leader, Councillor Paul McLean.

In her maiden speech in her new role, Cllr Burton thanked her party for the nomination and said she looked forward to her time in the role.

“I think this council has worked extremely hard since the pandemic and each one of us here tonight represents a family,” she said.

“I am extremely proud of my family. My husband has been very supportive and my four children and now three grand-children have all been a fantastic support as well.

“I also want to thank friends and community groups that encourage and work so hard with me and I look forward, God willing, to the time ahead and I think we have great staff who go way beyond the call of duty and I look forward to working with them.

“We need people to come out and support us and put their trust in us that we will work for them. We have all gone through difficult times and we hope that we can move ahead now.

“I really feel that we as elected representatives need to do all we can to help and support vulnerable people and I would hope that within this term we will go the extra mile to ensure those in need are given as much support as possible.”