Former MLA to succeed retiring UUP councillor

FORMER Fermanagh and South Tyrone MLA Rosemary Barton will take over the Mid Tyrone seat vacated by the retirement of veteran UUP Councilor Bert Wilson on Fermanagh and Omagh District Council. 

Tyrone Ulster Unionist Association, Chairman, Mr. Allan Rainey, has confirmed that Mrs Rosemary Barton will be succeeding Cllr Bert Wilson who is standing down from Fermanagh and Omagh District Council.

Paying tribute to Cllr Wilson, he said, “Bert has been a dedicated, tireless, hard-working representative for the people of the  District Electoral Area of Mid Tyrone for nearly 22 years. He had a keen interest in Planning Issues, particularly in representing constituents at Planning meetings and frequently challenging decisions for the benefit of his constituents. Further, he was a great advocate for those working in the  agricultural sector, championing their associated concerns from agricultural prices to climate change.”

Commenting on her return to Council Mrs Barton said, “Firstly I would like to pay tribute to Cllr Wilson, who was held in the highest esteem by the community of Mid Tyrone whom he served for nearly 22 years. I do realise I will have “ginormous shoes to fill”, Bert was a ceaseless worker for his constituents, returning home with a list of issues he had been contacted about while at the Mart or at night time following various social meetings he was attending.  He certainly was no “nice to five” , five day a week councilor, instead I know he could be on the phone at 7am or 10pm at least 6 days a week. Bert was particularly fastidious about following up casework until a satisfactory solution was arrived at.”

In commenting, Bert Wilson stated that, “Over these past 6 months as I considered standing down as a councillor, one of my main considerations was to my constituents in Mid Tyrone, who have supported me over the last 22 years and have become very good friends during that period. I wanted the new representative to be someone who would be committed to representing the constituents and had experience of working with Ministers and different departments, so I was very pleased when Rosemary was announced as my replacement. During her time as MLA, Rosemary had worked with me in representing constituents, doing site visits and resolving issues, she was always most helpful. Rosemary before entering politics was a teacher with the responsibility of head of a Mathemetics Department. She is from a farming background and was both Education Spokesperson and also Agricultural, Environment and Rural Affairs Spokesperson for the Ulster Unionist Party. She lives in the Fermanagh Omagh Council Area, a committed Unionist and where one could get a better qualified person and I can assure you a more dedicated and hard working person.”