An Alliance surge has placed the party as the second largest in Lisburn and Castlereagh (LCCC) with 13 seats from 40 as an election count of shock results were completed in just one day.
An average turnout of 51% percent across the board saw Alliance increase its seats from nine at the last election with the UUP reduced from 11 to five and the SDLP at a status quo of two elected seats, though co-opted former Green Simon Lee was eliminated.
Other significant winners on the night saw Cllr Gary McCleave top the polls (1,958 first ballot) as Sinn Fein doubled its seats to four from 2019, when it took its very first seats in the district.
READ MORE: LIVE: Northern Ireland council election results as counting continues on Saturday.
However, despite forecasts of a DUP decline the majority party keeps its top spot at Lagan Valley Island and maintained the 15 seats it won at the last local election.
Casualties in the democractic process toppled the DUP Mayor, Scott Carson as well as the 2021/22 Mayor and Alliance stalwart Stephen Martin.
A youth and diversity wind of change flowed through the polls at #LE2023 with the stand outs being former Lagan College school friends Nancy Eaton for Alliance and Daniel Basset for Sinn Fein in Castlereagh South.
The endless controversy over the future of waste management across Northern Ireland may also felt the wieght of the electorate, as ARC21 chairman, David Drysdale (DUP) was shown the door in Castlereagh East, the last to be eliminated at 2.30am when the count concluded without quotas being reached.
In a historic shake up, the new mandate given to members of LCCC for the next four years will now see for the first time decsions being taken in chambers without a majority unionist control.
The potential is for party leaders to romance the only Independent elected, Gary Hynds in Lisburn North as the new King maker on the council floor to gain majority vote.
Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council - Local Election 2023 Results
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Castlereagh East DEA : Turnout 48.85%
Elected
Sharon Skillen (DUP)
Martin Gregg (Alliance)
Samantha Burns (DUP)
Sharon Lowry (Alliance)
John Laverty BEM (DUP)
Hazel Legge (UUP)
Rejected
David Drysdale (DUP)
Andrew Girvan (TUV)
Terry Winchcombe (Green)
-----------------------------------
Downshire West DEA : Turnout 54.58%
Elected
Owen Gawith (Alliance)
Gretta Thompson (Alliance)
Alan Martin (UUP)
Caleb McCready (DUP)
Allan Ewart MBE (DUP)
Rejected
William Leathem (DUP)
Liz McCord (UUP)
Siobhan Murphy (SF)
Luke Robinson (Green)
-------------------------------------------
Castlereagh South DEA: Turnout 56.73%
Elected
Michelle Guy (Alliance)
Brian Higginson (DUP)
Nancy Eaton (Alliance)
John Gallen (SDLP)
Ryan Carlin (SF)
Martin McKeever (Alliance)
Daniel Bassett (SF)
Rejected
Jacinta Hamley (Green)
Michael Henderson (UUP)
Simon Lee (SDLP)
Andrew Miller (Ind)
William Traynor (DUP)
---------------------------------------
Downshire East DEA: Turnout 54.17%
Elected
Andrew Gowan (DUP)
Uel Mackin (DUP)
Kurtis Dickson (Alliance)
Aaron McIntyre (Alliance)
James Baird (UUP)
Rejected
John Drake (SDLP)
Stewart Ferris (TUV)
Alex Swan (UUP)
----------------------------------------
Lisburn South DEA : Turnout 45.1%
Elected
Andrew Ewing (DUP)
Amanda Grehan (Alliance)
Alan Givan (DUP)
Peter Kennedy (Alliance)
Tim Mitchell (UUP)
Paul Porter (DUP)
Rejected
Aisling Flynn (SF)
Dee French (SDLP)
Jenny Palmer (UUP)
Stewart McEvoy (TUV)
-----------------------------------------------------------
Killultagh DEA: Turnout 52.95%
Elected
Gary McCleave (SF)
Claire Kemp (Alliance)
Thomas Beckett (DUP)
James Tinsley (DUP)
Ross McLernon (UUP)
Rejected
Stuart Brown (Ind)
Jack Patton (SDLP)
Laura Turner (UUP)
--------------------------------------------------
Lisburn North DEA: Turnout 51.16%
Elected
Paul Burke (SF)
Jonathan Craig (DUP)
Nicola Parker (Alliance)
Pat Catney (SDLP)
Nicholas Trimble (UUP)
Gary Hynds (Ind)
Rejected
Scott Carson (DUP)
Linsey Gibson (UUP)
Stephen Martin (Alliance)
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