If you have any problem or
query relating to your work
as a councillor.
If there is anything you think
would make the job easier.
If there is any help or
support we could give you.
Please don’t hesitate to get
in touch with us.
National Association of Councillors Northern
Ireland Region
Sketrick House
Jubilee Road
Newtownards
BT23 4YH
t: 028 9181 9413
e: office@nac-ni.org
Members’ Meetings
We provide a bi-monthly forum that is open to all Councillors to
exchange information, share experiences, and voice their opinions and
concerns. Delegates that have been nominated by their Council will
receive meeting invitations and papers, but all Councillors are welcome
to attend. Councillors that would like to join us should send an email
request to office@nac-ni.org so that they can be added to the guest
mailing list.
Note - only officially nominated Council Delegates can vote, make
decisions, or be elected on to the Executive Committee
MEETINGS
The National Association of Councillors, Northern Ireland Region, Annual General Meeting 2019 took place
on Friday 4 October 2019 at the Glenavon House Hotel in Cookstown. Following the elections in May the NAC
Officers were delighted to welcome back the NAC Delegates that have retained their seats and also to
welcome, for the first time, all newly elected NAC Delegates.
Invited guests were also in attendance from:
•
National Association of Councillors UK
•
Northern Ireland Local Government Association (NILGA)
•
Association of Irish Local Government (AILG)
•
Local Authorities Members Association (LAMA)
Our highly acclaimed guest speaker, ANDREA WINDERS of DISRUPTIEVE provided a dynamic presentation on
the Regeneration of Towns and Villages. As an Urban Disruptor, Andrea shared her unique method for
approaching failing areas, applying disruption, whether physical, digital or other, and she gave details of a
live project in the UK.
Andrea is available for discussions or meetings with councils and she can be contacted by email at
andrea.winders@disruptieve.com
L to R – Cllr Micheál Anglim LAMA, Cllr
Brian Nelson NAC UK, Andrea Winders
Disruptieve, Cllr Mick Cahill AILG, Ald
Michael Henderson NAC NI, Cllr
Frances Burton NILGA, Cllr Terry
Shannon LAMA, Cllr Joe Boyle NAC NI
National Association of Councillors AGM 2019
NAC AGM 2020
The Annual General Meeting of the National Association of Councillors took place on Friday 2 October 2020 at the
Glenavon House Hotel in Cookstown.
In line with the restrictions this year, the NAC Executive Committee decided not to invite guests from outside of the
region, which included our colleagues from the NAC UK and representatives from our counterpart organisations in
Southern Ireland, the AILG (Association of Irish Local Government) and LAMA (Local Authority Members Association).
However, we have continued to keep in touch with officers from all these organisations over recent months and we
will carry on with building upon the strong relationships that we have formed.
We did have guests in attendance from the Northern Ireland Local Government Association (NILGA) and this
included the NILGA Chief Executive, Mr Derek McCallan; Cllr Frances Burton, Office Bearer and Elected Member
Development Chair and Ms Fiona Douglas, Regional Development Manager.
For the NAC 2020 AGM Programme & Meeting Minutes from our 2019 AGM please click here
See Gallery for pictures from this event.
Minutes of Meetings
NILGOSC Presentation – September 2021
The NAC Chair, Alderman Tommy Sandford and the NAC Secretary, Councillor Joe Boyle
welcomed Ruth Benson from the NILGOSC to the NAC Members’ Meeting on 15
September 2021.
Ruth delivered a very informative presentation and answered questions put forward by
the NAC Members.
A copy of the NILGOSC presentation can be viewed by clicking here
NAC NI Annual General Meeting 2021
This event took place on Friday 15 October 2021 at the Glenavon Hotel in Cookstown
with invited guests from NAC UK, NILGA, AILG and LAMA in attendance. An on-line
message from the Communities Minister, Ms Dierdre Hargey, MLA was played to
attendees and whilst Senator Mark Daly was unable to join us, he provided an
interesting overview of his background and work at the Senate of Ireland. The new
Executive Committee (EC) was formed with a change of Chair to Cllr Terry Andrews, Senior Vice Chair is now Ald Alan
McDowell, Junior Vice Chair is now Cllr Valerie Harte, Women’s Representative is Cllr Hazel Legge, and Ald Michael
Henderson has subsequently been retained as a Co-opted Committee Member, all other EC members remain
unchanged. Full details of the NAC Executive Committee are available on the About Us page of our website. During
the event Long Service Awards were presented to six councillors that have each served for over 32 years.
Photographs taken on the day can be viewed on the Gallery Page of the NAC website.
Click here for Minister Hargey’s address.
NAC UK Conferences Update - October 2021
The NAC UK’s first conference since February 2020 took place at the beginning of October 2021 in Carlisle.
The NAC General Secretary, Cllr Brian Nelson welcomed the
NAC NI Chair, Ald Tommy Sandford and the NAC National Vice
Chair, Cllr Charlie Casey along with Cllr Terry Andrews and Cllr
Robert Burgess of the NAC NI Executive Committee to the
event, which examined the governments ‘levelling up’ agenda
and the many challenges that will be faced when providing
services in the post-covid era.
The next conference and the National AGM will take place on
26 to 28 November 2021 in Lytham Saint Annes. The
conference title is Environment/Climate Emergency.
MEETINGS UPDATE DECEMBER 2021
In 2021 the NAC in NI completed their series of six scheduled Members’ Meetings.
Due to the strict Covid-19 restrictions at the start of the year, the first three meetings in January, March and May
were held by Zoom and in keeping with the NAC members preferences the following two in meetings in July and
September were held in-person at hospitality venues in the Mid Ulster region being a central location for all. At
these meetings it was noted that a hybrid format would allow members that are unable to travel to participate and
subsequently the NAC’s final meeting for 2021 was held in the Armagh City Hotel with the functionality for
members to join-in by Zoom.
As we move forward into 2022, the NAC are unsure what the future will bring in terms of the pandemic, but dates
have been set for the next series of meetings with a view to holding these in hybrid format.
For all enquiries and bookings please contact the NAC UK General Secretary directly:
Councillor Brian Nelson, National Association of Councillors
0191 3789947 or 0779 1574879 - nationalsecretary@nac-uk.org