DUP Mid Ulster

09/10/2026

𝐁𝐮𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐚𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐧 𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐟𝐮𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 £𝟕𝟓𝟎,𝟎𝟎𝟎 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐯𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐩𝐬

𝐁𝐮𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐚𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐧 𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐟𝐮𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 £𝟕𝟓𝟎,𝟎𝟎𝟎 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐯𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐩𝐬

Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly has confirmed an additional £750,000 to protect frontline services for victims and survivors. 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 £𝟒𝟒,𝟎𝟎𝟎 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐌𝐔𝐕𝐄 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤.

The additional allocation follows direct engagement with victims and survivors organisations, including groups representing innocent victims of terrorism, as well as the Commissioner for Victims and Survivors.

We welcome this additional funding, which will provide important support to victims’ groups at a time when they are facing increasing demand and significant financial pressures particularly in relation to mental health challenges.

We have been engaging with groups and raising their concerns about the challenges they face in maintaining vital services. This additional support is a positive and practical response that will help them continue their important work for victims and survivors.

09/09/2026

Please tag and share with local schools

🥣 £𝟏,𝟎𝟎𝟎 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝐁𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐟𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐂𝐥𝐮𝐛𝐬

Applications are now open for Kellogg’s Breakfast Club Grants, supporting schools to help children start the day with a nutritious breakfast.

Priority is given to schools with:
35%+ pupils eligible for pupil premium / free school meals, or
Schools in the 10% most deprived areas (Index of Multiple Deprivation).

Eligible schools can review the criteria and apply below:🔗 https://forevermanchester.com/fund/kelloggs-breakfast-club-programme/

Tag and share with your local school

20/07/2026

🔥𝐌𝐈𝐃 𝐔𝐋𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐃𝐔𝐏 𝐁𝐁𝐐 & 𝐅𝐔𝐍 𝐍𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓🔥

Join us for a fantastic evening of great food & fun at the Mid Ulster DUP BBQ & Fun Night!

📅 Saturday 1st August 2026
🕖 7.00pm
📍 Pomeroy District Sports & Cultural Association Playing Fields

🎟️ Admission:
•⁠ ⁠Adults – £15
•⁠ ⁠Under 16 – £5
•⁠ ⁠Under 5 – FREE

Private message any member, Cllr or Keith Buchanan if you want a few tickets 🍔🌭🔥

13/04/2026

📣 Your Voice Matters — Have Your Say

𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐨𝐧 𝐂𝐨𝐫𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐎𝐛𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐚𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝.

🗓️ Consultation closes Friday 24 April at 12 noon.

👉 Learn more and have your say: https://www.midulstercouncil.org/consultations

Keith Buchanan MLA
Cllr Paul McLean
Cllr Wesley Brown, Magherafelt DEA
Cllr Wilbert Buchanan
Cllr Eva Cahoon - Cookstown
Cllr Anne Forde
Cllr Jonathan Buchanan - Torrent DEA
Cllr Kyle Black

02/03/2026

𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐚𝐜𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲”
𝐂𝐥𝐥𝐫 𝐌𝐜𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐩𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐬 𝐧𝐨 𝐩𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐍𝐈 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫’𝐬 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐦𝐚𝐥 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞.

Councillor Paul McLean has strongly criticised NI Water following what he described as a “dismal” report presentation, stating that there was no measurable improvement from the previous year and little indication of progress ahead.

Speaking after the presentation, Cllr McLean said he felt compelled to be honest and factual in his assessment. He emphasised that NI Water, like elected councillors, are public servants and must be accessible and accountable to the people they serve. He remarked that if local councillors were as difficult to contact as NI Water, they would not be re-elected.

Cllr McLean was particularly critical of NI Water’s customer portal, describing it as “terrible” and extremely difficult to navigate. He warned that poor communication systems and limited accessibility risk distancing the organisation from the very communities it is meant to serve.

Raising concerns about communication standards, he said NI Water must ensure staff are properly trained in handling correspondence. He referenced a recent example where a staff member had received ten emails from a client but had not responded or even acknowledged them because no further update was available. Cllr McLean said that simply failing to reply was unacceptable and undermined public confidence.

He further stated that NI Water appeared to have “ground to a halt,” with little sense of accountability, ongoing financial pressures, and what he described as a lack of courtesy in engagement. He questioned who a member of the public — or indeed an elected representative — should contact within NI Water when issues arise, contrasting this with Council structures where Directors and Assistant Directors are clearly identifiable and contactable.

Highlighting what he believes to be a high turnover of staff and systemic inefficiencies; Cllr McLean called for a radical review of NI Water’s processes and structures to restore effectiveness and public trust.

His remarks were met with visible support from colleagues across the Chamber, many of whom indicated agreement with the concerns raised.

DUP Mid Ulster
Cllr Paul McLean

27/02/2026

During last nights MUDC full council meeting, the DUP Group Lead on Mid Ulster District Council Cllr Paul McLean said:

“It was evident from Cllr Varsani's remarks in the chamber this evening, regarding the so-called ‘clarity’ of her party’s rates proposal last week, that Sinn Féin are now feeling pressure from their own constituents over the scale of the increase.

That concern should have been considered before opting for a higher percentage rise.

As the saying goes, a guilty conscience needs no accuser.

𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐲 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐦𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐨𝐰𝐧𝐞𝐝."

Paul McLean
DUP Mid Ulster

13/02/2026

📌 Culnady Community Clean-Up 🧽🧹🪣

It’s been great working alongside the Culnady community group recently. We are delighted to be supporting their upcoming community clean-up event.

If you’re available to lend a hand, we would love to see you there. Let’s brighten the village together!

09/02/2026

𝐌𝐢𝐝 𝐔𝐥𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐭 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐥 – 𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐭 𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔/𝟐𝟕

The DUP Group on Mid Ulster District Council has expressed disappointment at the decision to set the District Rate increase at 3.4% for the 2026/27 financial year.

From the outset of this year’s rate-setting process, the DUP worked constructively to deliver the lowest possible rate increase for local households and businesses, while ensuring that core council services could continue to be delivered efficiently and responsibly.

The DUP initially proposed a 2.84% increase, reflecting a balanced and prudent approach at a time when families and businesses are already under significant financial pressure. When this proposal was rejected, the DUP engaged further in good faith. Unionist parties subsequently united behind a revised proposal of 2.85%, demonstrating a clear, responsible and collaborative alternative focused on protecting ratepayers.

Regrettably, this joint proposal was also voted down. Instead, a 3.4% increase proposed by Sinn Féin was carried, following the decision of the SDLP to abstain. As a result, residents and businesses across Mid Ulster will now face a higher rate rise than was both achievable and avoidable.

The DUP remains firmly committed to standing up for ratepayers, advocating for value for money, transparency in council spending, and a more balanced approach to rate-setting that recognises the real pressures facing households and the local economy.