# Castlereagh Central (District Electoral Area)

Castlereagh Central was one of the district electoral areas in Castlereagh, Northern Ireland which existed from 1985 to 2014. It was one of three Castlereagh DEAs until 1993, and one of four until 2014. The district elected seven members to Castlereagh Borough Council from 1985 to 1993, and six members from 1993 to 2014. It formed part of the Strangford constituency until 1997, the Strangford and Belfast East constituencies from 1997 to 2010 and the Belfast East and Belfast South constituencies for the Northern Ireland Assembly and UK Parliament.
It was created for the 1985 local elections, replacing Castlereagh Area C which had existed since 1973, and contained the wards of Cregagh, Downshire, Hillfoot, Lisnasharragh, Lower Braniel, Upper Braniel and Wynchurch. For the 1993 local elections, it was reduced by one ward as Hillfoot was transferred to the new Castlereagh West District Electoral Area. It was abolished for the 2014 local elections and most of the area was transferred to Belfast City Council for the 2014 Belfast City Council election to form part of the new Lisnasharragh DEA.

## Councillors

| Election | Councillor (Party) | Councillor (Party) | Councillor (Party) | Councillor (Party) | Councillor (Party) | Councillor (Party) | Councillor (Party) | Councillor (Party) |
| 2011 | Michael Long (Alliance) | Carole Howard (Alliance) | Michael Copeland (UUP) | Denny Vitty (DUP) | Tommy Sandford (DUP) | Vivienne McCoy (DUP) | 6 seats 1993–2014 | 6 seats 1993–2014 |
| 2005 | Michael Long (Alliance) | Peter Robinson (DUP) | Michael Copeland (UUP) | Joanne Bunting (DUP) | John Norris (DUP) | Andrew Ramsey (DUP) | 6 seats 1993–2014 | 6 seats 1993–2014 |
| 2001 | Michael Long (Alliance) | Peter Robinson (DUP) | Michael Copeland (UUP) | Joanne Bunting (DUP) | John Norris (DUP) | Tommy Sandford (PUP) | 6 seats 1993–2014 | 6 seats 1993–2014 |
| 1997 | Patrick Mitchell (Alliance) | Peter Robinson (DUP) | Alan Carson (UUP)/ (DUP) | John Dunn (DUP) | John Norris (DUP) | Grant Dillon (UKUP)/ (Independent Unionist)/ (UUP) | 6 seats 1993–2014 | 6 seats 1993–2014 |
| 1993 | Patrick Mitchell (Alliance) | Peter Robinson (DUP) | Alan Carson (UUP)/ (DUP) | Cecil Moore (DUP) | John Norris (DUP) | Grant Dillon (UKUP)/ (Independent Unionist)/ (UUP) | 6 seats 1993–2014 | 6 seats 1993–2014 |
| 1989 | Patrick Mitchell (Alliance) | Peter Robinson (DUP) | Alan Carson (UUP)/ (DUP) | Joyce Boyd (DUP) | Paul McNaughten (DUP) | Grant Dillon (UKUP)/ (Independent Unionist)/ (UUP) | | Ellen Gray (UUP) |
| 1985 | Patricia Archer (Alliance) | Peter Robinson (DUP) | Alan Carson (UUP)/ (DUP) | Cedric Wilson (DUP) | Ivan Castles (DUP) | Herbert Johnstone (UUP) | | Ellen Gray (UUP) |

## 2011 Election

2005: 4 x DUP, 1 x Alliance, 1 x UUP
2011: 3 x DUP, 2 x Alliance, 1 x UUP
2005-2011 Change: Alliance gain from DUP
Castlereagh Central - 6 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| | Alliance | Michael Long* | 18.14% | 919 | | | | | | | |
| | DUP | Vivienne McCoy | 14.21% | 720 | 727.35 | | | | | | |
| | UUP | Michael Copeland* | 12.91% | 654 | 667.65 | 763.65 | | | | | |
| | Alliance | Carole Howard | 10.64% | 539 | 676.34 | 696.23 | 706.43 | 926.43 | | | |
| | DUP | Tommy Sandford | 12.51% | 634 | 639.46 | 675.88 | 688.12 | 692.75 | 700.75 | 943.75 | |
| | DUP | Denny Vitty | 8.64% | 438 | 439.47 | 453.47 | 457.55 | 457.55 | 457.55 | 508.37 | 723.97 |
| | PUP | Jason Burke | 6.37% | 323 | 326.36 | 353.36 | 362.2 | 369.67 | 394.67 | 401.67 | 405.59 |
| | DUP | Sharon Skillen | 6.08% | 308 | 310.31 | 324.31 | 328.39 | 329.81 | 329.81 | | |
| | SDLP | Rosaleen Hughes | 5.66% | 287 | 300.23 | 303.44 | 303.44 | | | | |
| | TUV | Alan Carson | 4.84% | 245 | 247.94 | | | | | | |
| Electorate: 9,341 Valid: 5,067 (54.24%) Spoilt: 104 Quota: 724 Turnout: 5,171 (55.36%) ||||||||||||

## 2005 Election

2001: 3 x DUP, 1 x Alliance, 1 x UUP, 1 x PUP
2005: 4 x DUP, 1 x Alliance, 1 x UUP
2001-2005 Change: DUP gain from PUP
Castlereagh Central - 6 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
| | DUP | Peter Robinson* | 25.81% | 1,431 | | | | | | |
| | Alliance | Michael Long* | 16.32% | 905 | | | | | | |
| | DUP | Joanne Bunting* | 16.14% | 895 | | | | | | |
| | UUP | Michael Copeland* | 9.76% | 541 | 582.86 | 608.21 | 611.62 | 727.3 | 796.3 | |
| | DUP | John Norris* | 7.59% | 421 | 663.42 | 669.27 | 699.08 | 710.82 | 790.83 | 800.83 |
| | DUP | Andrew Ramsey | 4.91% | 272 | 523.16 | 527.97 | 583.85 | 588.42 | 614.39 | 621.65 |
| | PUP | Tommy Sandford* | 6.42% | 356 | 391.88 | 399.03 | 401.34 | 403.99 | 436.39 | 491.01 |
| | SDLP | Sean Mullan | 6.55% | 363 | 363.92 | 397.72 | 397.94 | 407.8 | 429.9 | |
| | Independent | Alan Carson | 3.77% | 209 | 254.08 | 269.55 | 274.72 | 295.81 | | |
| | UUP | Alan Martin | 2.74% | 152 | 165.8 | 181.01 | 181.89 | | | |
| Electorate: 9,735 Valid: 5,545 (56.96%) Spoilt: 155 Quota: 793 Turnout: 5,700 (58.55%) |||||||||||

## 2001 Election

1997: 4 x DUP, 1 x Alliance, 1 x UUP, 1 x UKUP
2001: 4 x DUP, 1 x Alliance, 1 x UUP, 1 x PUP
1997-2001 Change: PUP gain from UKUP
Castlereagh Central - 6 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| | DUP | Peter Robinson* | 42.40% | 2,841 | | | | | | | |
| | UUP | Michael Copeland | 15.40% | 1,032 | | | | | | | |
| | DUP | John Norris* | 2.40% | 161 | 949.8 | 976.8 | | | | | |
| | Alliance | Michael Long | 11.48% | 769 | 798.82 | 879.68 | 904.16 | 1,274.16 | | | |
| | DUP | Joanne Bunting | 4.51% | 302 | 737.2 | 772.52 | 778.36 | 779.8 | 780.8 | 1,151.16 | |
| | PUP | Tommy Sandford | 7.54% | 505 | 564.16 | 590.56 | 599.84 | 612.24 | 674.24 | 695.24 | 719.72 |
| | UK Unionist | Grant Dillon* | 4.31% | 289 | 393.04 | 488.96 | 512.96 | 515.04 | 547.04 | 572.44 | 661.52 |
| | DUP | John Dunn* | 1.10% | 74 | 437.12 | 467.8 | 473.08 | 476.44 | 480.44 | | |
| | SDLP | Sean Mullan | 6.37% | 427 | 431.08 | 436.44 | 438.6 | | | | |
| | Independent | Alan Carson* | 3.27% | 219 | 277.48 | | | | | | |
| | NI Conservatives | Terence Dick | 1.22% | 82 | 95.8 | | | | | | |
| Electorate: 10,528 Valid: 6,701 (63.65%) Spoilt: 237 Quota: 958 Turnout: 6,938 (65.90%) ||||||||||||

## 1997 Election

1993: 4 x DUP, 1 x Alliance, 1 x UUP, 1 x Independent Unionist
1997: 4 x DUP, 1 x Alliance, 1 x UUP, 1 x UKUP
1993-1997 Change: Independent Unionist joins UKUP
Castlereagh Central - 6 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| | DUP | Peter Robinson* | 55.30% | 2,783 | | | | | |
| | UUP | Alan Carson* | 16.97% | 854 | | | | | |
| | DUP | John Norris* | 1.21% | 61 | 950.2 | | | | |
| | Alliance | Patrick Mitchell* | 11.92% | 600 | 623.56 | 626.96 | 644.3 | 966.3 | |
| | DUP | John Dunn | 1.73% | 87 | 593.92 | 662.12 | 684.05 | 689.12 | 698.12 |
| | UK Unionist | Grant Dillon* | 5.30% | 267 | 516.28 | 528.28 | 591.69 | 609.59 | 684.59 |
| | DUP | Alwyn McClernon | 0.46% | 23 | 372.6 | 512.4 | 527.53 | 541.35 | 548.35 |
| | SDLP | Dominic Marsella | 4.45% | 224 | 225.52 | 225.52 | 225.69 | | |
| | Alliance | Ann Smith | 2.66% | 134 | 161.36 | 162.76 | 171.94 | | |
| Electorate: 11,033 Valid: 5,033 (45.62%) Spoilt: 148 Quota: 720 Turnout: 5,181 (46.96%) ||||||||||

## 1993 Election

1989: 4 x DUP, 2 x UUP, 1 x Alliance
1993: 3 x DUP, 1 x Alliance, 1 x UUP, 1 x Independent Unionist
1989-1993 Change: Independent Unionist leaves UUP, DUP loss due to the reduction of one seat
Castlereagh Central - 6 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
| | DUP | Peter Robinson* | 53.27% | 2,775 | | | | | | | | |
| | Alliance | Patrick Mitchell* | 15.01% | 782 | | | | | | | | |
| | UUP | Alan Carson* | 12.57% | 655 | 802 | | | | | | | |
| | DUP | John Norris | 0.90% | 47 | 770.75 | | | | | | | |
| | DUP | Cecil Moore | 2.17% | 113 | 689 | 695 | 707.8 | 708 | 723.74 | 737.31 | 746.31 | |
| | Ind. Unionist | Grant Dillon* | 6.53% | 340 | 450.25 | 452.75 | 471.31 | 471.83 | 472.63 | 505.81 | 570.92 | 645.92 |
| | DUP | Mary Fairfield | 1.06% | 55 | 417.25 | 423 | 431.32 | 431.48 | 433.5 | 442.41 | 469 | 493 |
| | Alliance | Ann Smith | 3.55% | 185 | 209.75 | 214.5 | 216.1 | 245.22 | 245.34 | 292.08 | 320.1 | |
| | UUP | Ellen Gray* | 1.98% | 103 | 142 | 164 | 174.24 | 174.6 | 174.84 | 206.33 | | |
| | NI Conservatives | Leeburn Stitt | 2.42% | 126 | 144.75 | 146.75 | 151.23 | 151.75 | 151.81 | | | |
| | UUP | John Ferris | 0.54% | 28 | 46 | | | | | | | |
| Electorate: 11,260 Valid: 5,209 (46.26%) Spoilt: 202 Quota: 745 Turnout: 5,411 (48.06%) |||||||||||||

## 1989 Election

1985: 4 x DUP, 2 x UUP, 1 x Alliance
1989: 4 x DUP, 2 x UUP, 1 x Alliance
1985-1989 Change: No change
Castlereagh Central - 7 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| | DUP | Peter Robinson* | 50.75% | 3,461 | | | | | | | |
| | UUP | Grant Dillon* | 13.40% | 914 | | | | | | | |
| | Alliance | Patrick Mitchell | 13.33% | 909 | | | | | | | |
| | DUP | Alan Carson* | 4.06% | 277 | 1,895.04 | | | | | | |
| | DUP | Joyce Boyd | 2.70% | 184 | 497.88 | 1,371.06 | | | | | |
| | UUP | Ellen Gray* | 6.64% | 453 | 616.4 | 657.56 | 684.26 | 733.46 | 970.46 | | |
| | DUP | Paul McNaughten | 0.38% | 26 | 124.8 | 192.42 | 646.32 | 647.16 | 666.92 | 729.71 | 759.29 |
| | DUP | Cecil Moore | 2.20% | 150 | 510.24 | 553.85 | 583.55 | 584.81 | 621.55 | 675.24 | 699.55 |
| | Alliance | Ann Smith | 6.54% | 446 | 474.88 | 479.29 | 481.09 | 482.53 | | | |
| Electorate: 14,462 Valid: 6,820 (47.16%) Spoilt: 188 Quota: 853 Turnout: 7,008 (48.46%) ||||||||||||

## 1985 Election

1985: 4 x DUP, 2 x UUP, 1 x Alliance
Castlereagh Central - 7 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
| | DUP | Peter Robinson* | 52.69% | 4,118 | | | | | | |
| | DUP | Cedric Wilson* | 0.92% | 72 | 2,292.72 | | | | | |
| | UUP | Herbert Johnstone* | 11.90% | 930 | 1,076.68 | | | | | |
| | DUP | Alan Carson* | 3.85% | 301 | 683.28 | 1,651.23 | | | | |
| | DUP | Ivan Castles | 0.69% | 54 | 211.32 | 413.82 | 1,068.22 | | | |
| | Alliance | Patricia Archer* | 11.43% | 893 | 921.88 | 958.78 | 962.62 | 968.56 | 983.56 | |
| | UUP | Ellen Gray* | 7.73% | 604 | 673.16 | 725.36 | 733.36 | 802 | 884.95 | 926.44 |
| | Alliance | Derek Middleton | 5.40% | 422 | 441 | 446.85 | 448.45 | 455.71 | 463.97 | 743.85 |
| | Alliance | William Moreland | 3.69% | 288 | 313.84 | 323.74 | 325.02 | 334.26 | 352.44 | |
| | Ind. Unionist | Cecil Moore | 1.70% | 133 | 189.24 | 213.54 | 218.02 | 225.94 | | |
| Electorate: 14,751 Valid: 7,815 (52.98%) Spoilt: 220 Quota: 977 Turnout: 8,035 (54.47%) |||||||||||