Carole Howard

Carole Howard
High Sheriff of Belfast
In office
15 January 2018 – 16 January 2019
Preceded byTom Haire
Succeeded byTommy Sandford
Member of
Belfast City Council
In office
2 May 2019 – 18 May 2023
Preceded byMairéad O'Donnell
Succeeded byFiona McAteer
ConstituencyTitanic
In office
22 May 2014 – 2 May 2019
Preceded byNew district
Succeeded byEric Hanvey
ConstituencyLisnasharragh
Member of
Castlereagh Borough Council
In office
5 May 2011 – 22 May 2014
Preceded byPeter Robinson
Succeeded byCouncil abolished
Personal details
BornBelfast, Northern Ireland
Political partyUlster Unionist (since 2021)
Other political
affiliations		Alliance Party (until 2021)

Carole Howard is a former Northern Irish politician who was High Sheriff of Belfast from January 2018 to 2019, as well as a Belfast City Councillor from 2014 until 2023, latterly for the Titanic DEA.[1][2]

Background

Howard first stood for election on behalf of the Alliance Party at the 2011 local elections, winning a seat in Castlereagh's Central District.[3][4]

She was re-elected at the 2014 local elections, this time for the successor Lisnasharragh District in Belfast.[5][6]

In January 2018, Howard was made High Sheriff of Belfast, making her the first Alliance representative to hold the office since 2000. She said: "It is a great honour to have been elected to the post of High Sheriff, and I pledge to serve the people of Belfast, and to support the Lord Mayor and Deputy Lord Mayor in carrying out my duties to the best of my ability. I will continue to work hard for our city during my time as High Sheriff, and hope to bring a positive contribution to making Belfast a better and brighter city for all its citizens."[7][8]

She was elected on the sixth count for the Titanic District at the 2019 election.[9][10]

In December 2021, Howard joined the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP), by asserting that she has pro-Union views and "feel that I can now openly and comfortably express them to help promote a confident, progressive brand of unionism." Leader Doug Beattie welcomed her to the party, saying: "I am absolutely delighted that Carole has decided to join the Ulster Unionist Party. Carole is exactly the type of elected representative we want to attract, encourage and promote. She has a long-established track record of dedicated public service and I am glad that she wishes to continue that public service with the Ulster Unionist Party."[11][12] Alliance described Howard's decision as "an act of bad faith." [13]

She unsuccessfully contested the Ormiston District at the 2023 local elections, being the last candidate eliminated, with 847 first-preference votes.[14][15][16]

References

  1. ^ "NI: Alliance councillor appointed High Sheriff of Belfast". Irish Legal. 3 January 2018. Retrieved 6 December 2024.
  2. ^ "Alliance Party Facebook". Facebook. 3 May 2019. Retrieved 6 December 2024.
  3. ^ "BBC News - Election 2011 - Northern Ireland council elections - Castlereagh". BBC News. 11 May 2011. Retrieved 6 December 2024.
  4. ^ "Castlereagh Council Election Results 1993-2011". Ark elections. Retrieved 6 December 2024.
  5. ^ "COUNCILLOR CAROLE HOWARD" (PDF). Belfast City Council. Retrieved 6 December 2024.
  6. ^ "Belfast City Council Elections 2014". Ark elections. Retrieved 6 December 2024.
  7. ^ "Alliance Party Councillor sworn in as Belfast's new High Sheriff". Belfast Telegraph. 15 January 2018. Retrieved 6 December 2024.
  8. ^ "Belfast High Sheriff post first for Alliance in two decades". Belfast Telegraph. 2 January 2018. Retrieved 6 December 2024.
  9. ^ "Titanic: in Belfast results - NI Local Election 2019". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 6 December 2024.
  10. ^ "Belfast City Council on X". 3 May 2019. Retrieved 6 December 2024.
  11. ^ "Councillor Carole Howard joins the Ulster Unionist Party". Ulster Unionist Party. 13 December 2021. Retrieved 6 December 2024.
  12. ^ "Belfast Alliance councillor Carole Howard switches to Ulster Unionist Party". Belfast Live. 13 December 2021. Retrieved 6 December 2024.
  13. ^ "Alliance councillor Carole Howard defects to UUP". BBC News. 13 December 2021. Retrieved 6 December 2024.
  14. ^ "Ormiston - Belfast City Council elections". Belfast City Council. 20 May 2023. Retrieved 6 December 2024.
  15. ^ "Belfast City Council on X". X. 20 May 2023. Retrieved 6 December 2024.
  16. ^ "Belfast result - Northern Ireland Council Elections 2023". BBC News. Retrieved 6 December 2024.