Unionists force by-election over flag row

Limavady rate payers face a bill of between £8,000 and £10,000 after Unionist Councillor Boyd Douglas forced a by-election to fill the seat left vacant by Sinn Féin's Francie Brolly, who resigned from the council last month.

Brolly, an MLA for the East Derry constituency, resigned his seat to concentrate on his Assembly work.

Sinn Féin had, at a special council meeting of the council on Wednesday 8 September, attempted to co-opt Drumsurn postmistress Brenda Chivers to represent the Benbradagh Ward but failed after Douglas objected to the co-option.

Council officers will now inform the Chief Electoral Officer of the by-election.

An election could still be avoided, however, as the electoral legislation states that if only one person is nominated that person will be deemed elected.

Speaking to An Phoblacht Francie Brolly said unionists are playing politics with the co-option proposal at the taxpayers' expense.

Brolly explained that the unionists, if they win the by-election (they would have seven seats, on a par with nationalists, who had eight before Brolly's resignation) will force a vote on flying the union flag at council offices, a practice that Sinn Féin Mayor Ann Brolly abolished during her term as first citizen of the council.

"The unionists are wasting ratepayers' money in the pursuit of the flags issue," said Brolly.