PUP leader Billy Hutchinson elected to new Belfast super council

PUP leader Billy Hutchinson has been elected to the new Belfast super council.

He topped the poll in the Court area as grassroots working class loyalists switched their allegiance from the DUP and UUP to the PUP.

Outgoing Belfast Lord Mayor Mairtin O’Muilleoir topped the poll his Balmoral DEA pipping Claire Hanna of the SDLP, who was also elected, by one vote.

RESULTS SO FAR:

BALMORAL

Claire Hanna SDLP  – elected

Mairtin O’Muilleoir Sinn Fein – elected

BLACKMOUNTAIN

Janice Austin SF – elected

Stephen Corr SF – elected

CASTLE

Mary Ellen Campbell SF – elected

COURT

Billy Hutchinson PUP – elected

LISNASHARRAGH

Aileen Graham DUP -elected

Michael Long ALLIANCE – elected.

Meanwhile, Belfast City Council has revealed that the turnout in the local government elections across the new boundaries has been around 51 per cent.

Election turnout:

* Oldpark 51.69%;

* Botanic 47.2%;

* Titanic 47.06%;

* Ormiston 53.13%;

* and Collin 51.6%.

Early indications say that Sonia Copeland, wife of UUP MLA Michael Copeland is polling well in east Belfast.

Now the SDLP could face a bloody nose after reports that its former Belfast Lord Mayor Pat McCarthy is struggling to retain his seat at present.

So too is Tim Attwood in Blackmoutain who needs transfers to retain his seat.