DUP Councillor Margaret Tinsley is the new Lord Mayor.
And Sinn Fein’s Sorchá McGeown is the new Deputy Lord Mayor.
Both positions were filled at the AGM of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council on Monday night.
Councillor Tinsley takes over the office from the outgoing Lord Mayor Councillor Paul Greenfield.
From Portadown, she was first elected to Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council in 2014, and is now in her third term having been re-elected in 2019 and again in May this year to represent the Craigavon District Electoral Area (DEA), where she was born, grew up and currently resides.
During her terms Councillor Tinsley held the position of Deputy Lord Mayor from 2019 – 2020, and Chair of both the Leisure Services and Community Planning Commitees.
Married to Alderman James Tinsley, the former Mayor of Lisburn Council from 2007-2008, Councillor Tinsley has two teenage children, James and Anna.
An active member of her local church, with a keen interest in working with young people, Councillor Tinsley is a volunteer with Reach. The new Lord Mayor is also a longstanding advocate for older people in the community.
In her first official address, the newly elected Lord Mayor said: “It is a great honour to be elected the 9th Lord Mayor of the Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough.
“In my term as Lord Mayor I want to help champion the Borough as the heart of the economy in Northern Ireland, to drive growth, create jobs and support investment.
“I am very aware that the economic outlook is challenging for residents and businesses, I want to play a key role in driving the agenda for change to support their needs.
“My passion has always been to work hard for the community to address a wide variety of issues and help improve life for everyone. This will be the driving force behind my term in office.
“I want to work closely with local community groups, youth programmes, the elderly and the most vulnerable in our society to create positive change and enhance social wellbeing. I also intend to spend time acknowledging volunteers and those working tirelessly in this area across the Borough.
“I would like to thank my party colleagues, the outgoing Lord Mayor Councillor Paul Greenfield and Deputy Lord Mayor Councillor Tim McClelland, for their service. I know they will be a great support to me in my year ahead.”
The new Lord Mayor has chosen Charis Cancer Care, as her fundraising charity for her year in office, a charity dear to her heart due to a close friend’s illness.
Charis Cancer Care is a centre based in Cookstown, offering valuable family-centred services, holistic treatments and support to anyone who has been diagnosed with cancer. The centre has worked with over 10,000 people across Northern Ireland diagnosed with cancer since it opened, in March 2010.
During the Annual Meeting Councillor Sorchá McGeown was also elected to the office of Deputy Lord Mayor.
Commenting on her appointment, the new Deputy Lord Mayor said: “I’m honoured to be elected as the next Deputy Lord Mayor of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough.
“It will be a privilege to give civic representation to all across our Borough.
“I am looking forward to working with the Lord Mayor to promote the potential of local businesses and to doing all we can to support families and our communities during my term in office.”
Councillor McGeown, from Lurgan, was elected to Council in 2019, and represents Lurgan DEA. During her time in the Council Councillor McGeown has been a member of both the Leisure and Community Services and the Planning and Regulatory Services Committees.
She is also on the board of Lurgan Townscape Heritage Partnership and NILGA
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