Gardiner says ‘door is open to the people’

In a statement issued following Friday’s count at Banbridge Leisure Centre, the Ulster Unionist MLA said he was “delighted” to have been re-elected and for the Ulster Unionist Party to have returned two party colleagues to Stormont.

“I want to thank the electors of Upper Bann for supporting me once again,” said Mr Gardiner. “As I said before the election, my mission is to concentrate on the people’s agenda as opposed to the politician’s agenda and to speak up for the Upper Bann constituency.

“I fully intend to do that and to offer the people of Upper Bann a constituency service second to none.”

Mr Gardiner also pledged to pressurise the Northern Ireland Executive and individual ministers to bring more jobs to Upper Bann and to activate the Bain Report on the relocation of public sector jobs to five regional centres, including Craigavon.

He said he would also push for better quality roads maintenance and repair and would continue to strive to attract major health investment in Upper Bann.

“I was delighted that one of the final acts of Michael McGimpsey as Health Minister was to agree to build the new health centre in Banbridge,” added Mr Gardiner.

“I ask the people of Upper Bann to remember that my door is always open to them and I will work hard for them and will do my best to address their problems and difficulties, no matter what their background or political affiliation.”