Landlord Declan Boyle is elected into Belfast’s Super Council

Colourful character elected Botanic area SDLP councillor

| UPDATED Declan Boyle LE14

Declan Boyle has been elected as a Belfast councillor.

The Tab reported on Declan Boyle after he announced he was running for the SDLP in the South Belfast area to find out why this landlord has gone down in Holylands history and what motivated him to run for local election.

Boyle will take his place on the council beside Ruth Patterson of the DUP, Graham Craig of the UUP, Deirdre Hargey of Sinn Fein and Emmet McDonough-Brown of the Alliance Party.

Elected on the eleventh count Boyle was battling tooth and nail against Green Party Candidate, Clare Bailey, for a seat and edged her out by only 264 votes.

Boyle previously told The Tab he wanted to tackle the issue of high rates in his council area so rent would be more affordable for the people.

Another issue Boyle wants to target is parking in the area, saying how in the University area in which he lets out many properties it is a disgrace that so many students are fined for parking when they are under pressure to get to classes.

Mixed reviews

Residents have claimed Boyle shows preferential treatment to students. They have voiced this in the past when they were left “upset and angry” at the mural of Rory McIlroy that was commissioned in 2012 without any consultation.

The idea that student residents and non-student residents are different entities is another issue which Boyle wants to eradicate, claiming they are both equal in his eyes.

Boyle’s opposition to the tenancy deposit scheme has not done him any favours.  This scheme is in place so landlords could not withhold deposits from tenants without good reason and Boyle’s opposition to it leads to the implications on how he handles himself as a landlord.

 

Opposition to his election in South Belfast would indicate residents still do not find a fair representation of the people and it will be interesting to see how this develops over the course of the next four years.