Court (District Electoral Area)

Court is one of the ten district electoral areas (DEA) in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Located in the north and west of the city, the district elects six members to Belfast City Council and contains the wards of Ballygomartin, Clonard, Falls, Forth River, Shankill, and Woodvale. Court is split between the Belfast North and Belfast West constituencies for the Northern Ireland Assembly and UK Parliament.

Court
Belfast City Council DEA constituency
Court DEA marked on a map of Belfast City Council and its wards
Current constituency
Created	1985
Seats	6 (1985–1993) 5 (1993–2014) 6 (2014–)
Councillors	Christina Black (SF)   Claire Canavan (SF)   Frank McCoubrey (DUP)   Ron McDowell (TUV)   Ian McLaughlin (DUP)   Nicola Verner (DUP)

History

 

Wards of Court DEA in Belfast from 1993 to 2014 (see census table)

The DEA was created for the 1985 local elections. It initially contained six wards, three of which came from the abolished Area E, with the remainder from Area G. From the 1993 through 2011 local elections, it contained five wards, namely Crumlin, Glencairn, Highfield, Shankill and Woodvale, following the abolition of the Saint Anne's ward. For the 2014 local elections, the Crumlin ward was abolished, the Glencairn ward was replaced by Forth River ward and the Highfield ward was replaced by Ballygomartin ward. These four wards were joined by the Falls and Clonard wards, which had previously been part of the abolished Lower Falls DEA.

2011 census data

Map	Ward	Population (2011 Census)	Catholic	Protestant	Other	No Religion	Area	Density	NI Assembly	UK Parliament	Ref
1	Crumlin	4,582	11.3%	82.3%	0.6%	5.9%	0.83 km^2	5,520/km^2	Belfast North	Belfast North	^[1]
2	Glencairn	3,749	17.5%	75.5%	0.9%	6.1%	4.1 km^2	914/km^2	Belfast West	Belfast West	^[2]
3	Highfield	5,651	9.5%	82.6%	0.9%	7%	2.69 km^2	2,101/km^2	Belfast West	Belfast West	^[3]
4	Shankill	3,816	7.9%	84.5%	0.7%	6.9%	0.93 km^2	4,103/km^2	Belfast West	Belfast West	^[4]
5	Woodvale	4,088	6%	87%	0.6%	6.4%	0.57 km^2	7,172/km^2	Belfast North	Belfast North	^[5]
Court		21,886	10.3%	82.5%	0.7%	6.5%	9.12 km^2	2,400/km^2	Belfast North (2) Belfast West (3)	Belfast North (2) Belfast West (3)

Councillors

Election	Councillor (Party)		Councillor (Party)		Councillor (Party)		Councillor (Party)		Councillor (Party)		Councillor (Party)
2023		Frank McCoubrey (DUP)/ (Independent)/ (UDP)		Ian McLaughlin (DUP)		Nicola Verner (DUP)		Ron McDowell (TUV)		Tina Black (Sinn Féin)		Claire Canavan (Sinn Féin)
June 2022 Co-Option				Naomi Thompson (DUP)				Billy Hutchinson (PUP)
2019				Brian Kingston (DUP)
December 2018 Co-Option						Jolene Bunting (TUV)/ (Independent)
January 2018 Co-Option										Mary McConville (Sinn Féin)
February 2017 Defection												Jim McVeigh (Sinn Féin)
2014
2011						William Humphrey (DUP)		Hugh Smyth (PUP)		Naomi Thompson (DUP)	5 seats 1993-2014
2005				Elaine McMillen (DUP)						Diane Dodds (DUP)
2001						Chris McGimpsey (UUP)				Eric Smyth (DUP)
1997				Fred Cobain (UUP)
1993		Joseph Coggle (Independent Unionist)
1989						Herbert Ditty (UUP)						Elizabeth Seawright (Protestant Unionist)
1985										Frederick Ashby (DUP)		George Seawright (Protestant Unionist)

2023 election

2019: 3 x DUP, 2 x Sinn Féin, 1 x PUP

2023: 3 x DUP, 2 x Sinn Féin, 1 x TUV

2019–2023 Change: TUV gain from PUP

Court - 6 seats^[6]

Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count
				1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11
	DUP	Frank McCoubrey*	22.00%	2,645
	Sinn Féin	Tina Black*	15.15%	1,822
	DUP	Nicola Verner*	14.83%	1,783
	Sinn Féin	Claire Canavan*	13.44%	1,616	1,616.70	1,697.65	1,698.65	1,698.74	1,712.04	1780.04
	DUP	Ian McLaughlin	8.26%	993	1,656.25	1,656.25	1,661.30	1,702.37	1,703.40	1,705.46	1,705.46	1,705.46	1,720.5
	TUV	Ron McDowell	8.01%	963	1,090.40	1,090.50	1,093.50	1,098.73	1,098.73	1,101.7	1,101.7	1,104.73	1,130.85	1,156.85
	PUP	Billy Hutchinson*	5.65%	679	789.25	789.35	790.35	795.63	795.63	801.07	803.07	803.07	853.92	906.27
	People Before Profit	Cailín McCaffery	3.39%	408	409.05	411.40	411.40	411.52	436.62	500.92	509.92	631.27	807.62
	Alliance	Ally Haydock	2.74%	329	333.20	333.80	336.80	337.43	337.48	440.33	465.33	477.43
	Irish Republican Socialist	Michael Kelly	3.32%	399	399.00	402.5	402.5	402.53	406.78	422.98	425.98
	SDLP	Olcan McSparron	1.46%	175	176.05	177.55	178.55	178.61	189.66
	Green (NI)	Sara Haller	0.90%	108	110.45	110.8	111.8	111.92	117.97
	Workers' Party	Tony Walls	0.71%	85	85.00	85.85	85.9	85.93
	Independent	Geoffrey Wilson	0.15%	18	19.05	19.10
Electorate: 23,779   Valid: 12,023 (50.56%)   Spoilt: 252   Quota: 1,718   Turnout: 12,275 (51.62%)

2019 Election

2014: 2 x DUP, 2 x Sinn Féin, 1 x PUP, 1 x TUV

2019: 3 x DUP, 2 x Sinn Féin, 1 x PUP

2014-2019 Change: DUP gain from TUV

Court - 6 seats^[7]

Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count
				1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11
	DUP	Frank McCoubrey*	19.70%	2,227
	DUP	Brian Kingston* †	14.60%	1,648
	DUP	Nicola Verner	9.90%	1,119	1,533.18	1,548.13	1,549.41	1,549.41	1,652.41
	PUP	Billy Hutchinson*	8.20%	929	1,016.48	1,018.08	1,023.35	1,024.35	1,077.13	1,077.55	1,090.55	1,096.55	1,264.73	1,622.32
	Sinn Féin	Claire Canavan*	12.80%	1,447	1,447	1,447	1,455	1,466	1,467	1,467	1,489	1,565	1,468	1,569
	Sinn Féin	Tina Black*	12.30%	1,396	1,396.27	1,396.28	1,405.29	1,458.29	1,458.29	1,458.29	1,473.29	1,549.29	1,552.56	1,560.56
	People Before Profit	Cailín McCaffery	6.10%	686	686.27	686.33	724.33	765.6	767.6	781.88	864.88	968.89	985.43	1,010.75
	Ulster Unionist	Dave Anderson	3.40%	385	411.19	411.89	418.9	420.9	481.45	498.67	529.22	534.22	668.93
	Independent	Jolene Bunting*	3.10%	351	380.43	380.84	383.84	383.84	423.3	427.5	438.5	450.5
	SDLP	Tiernan Fitzlarkin	2.60%	298	298.54	298.54	306.54	320.55	320.55	320.55	359.83
	Alliance	Ciara Campbell	2.20%	253	254.35	254.88	296.38	302.38	305.65	305.65
	TUV	Eric Smyth	2.30%	259	287.43	287.97	287.98	287.98
	Workers' Party	Joanne Lowry	1.50%	166	166	166.02	180.29
	Green (NI)	Sinéad Magner	1.30%	147	148.08	148.13
Electorate: 22,116   Valid: 11,310 (51.14%)   Spoilt: 218   Quota: 1,616   Turnout: 11,528 (52.13%)

2014 Election

This election was carried out under new ward boundaries, as a result of local government reform.

2011: 3 x DUP, 1 x PUP, 1 x Independent

2014: 2 x DUP, 2 x Sinn Féin, 1 x PUP, 1 x TUV

2011-2014 Changes: Sinn Féin (two seats) and TUV gain from DUP (two seats) and due to the addition of one seat, Independent joins DUP

Court - 6 seats^[8]

Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count
				1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
	PUP	Billy Hutchinson*	14.55%	1,674
	DUP	Frank McCoubrey*	13.53%	1,557	1,557	1,569	1,569	1,570	1,769
	DUP	Brian Kingston*	9.86%	1,134	1,136	1,154	1,154	1,157	1,207	1,311.58	1,313.63	1,715.63
	Sinn Féin	Mary McConville	12.17%	1,400	1,400	1,419	1,485	1,533	1,535	1,535	1,535.02	1,536.02	1,536.02	1,539.04	1,732.04
	Sinn Féin	Jim McVeigh* †	11.79%	1,357	1,357	1,362	1,398	1,410	1,411	1,411	1,411.01	1,412.01	1,412.3	1,413.32	1,547.33
	TUV	Jolene Bunting ‡	7.29%	839	842	852	854	856	865	865.63	866.51	888.87	905.88	1,123.89	1,135.16
	Ulster Unionist	Bill Manwaring	5.66%	651	653	674	675	677	685	688.78	689.85	754.69	785.74	1,098.7	1,117.8
	SDLP	Colin Keenan*	4.89%	563	566	635	697	809	809	809	809.04	812.67	813.75	818.31
	PUP	Billy Mawhinney	5.28%	607	610	621	621	625	629	631.52	643.17	713.41	734.47
	DUP	Nicola Verner	4.49%	516	516	519	519	521	609	621.6	622.26
	DUP	Naomi Thompson*	3.17%	365	366	366	368	369
	Workers' Party	John Lowry	2.57%	296	297	319	334
	Republican Network	Tommy Doherty	2.45%	282	282	284
	Alliance	Sheila Gallagher	1.12%	129	130
	NI21	Stuart Hunter	1.02%	117	117
	Independent	Willie Faulkner	0.16%	18
Electorate: 20,881   Valid: 11,505 (55.10%)   Spoilt: 304   Quota: 1,644   Turnout: 11,809 (56.55%)

2011 Election

2005: 3 x DUP, 1 x PUP, 1 x Independent

2011: 3 x DUP, 1 x PUP, 1 x Independent

2005-2011 Change: No change

Court - 5 seats^[9]

Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count
				1	2	3	4	5
	DUP	William Humphrey*	40.05%	2,643
	DUP	Brian Kingston	20.77%	1,371
	DUP	Naomi Thompson	3.59%	237	1,153.8
	Independent	Frank McCoubrey*	11.42%	754	937.6	1,006.48	1,015.36	1,131.36
	PUP	Hugh Smyth*	9.70%	640	782.2	846.04	862.36	939.38
	Ulster Unionist	Bobby McConnell	5.98%	395	585.2	698.32	717.88	805.64
	Independent	Raymond McCord	3.02%	199	263.8	281.72	285.98
	Sinn Féin	Karol McKee	2.79%	184	184.6	184.6	184.6
	Alliance	Mark Long	1.18%	78	103.8	108.56	109.76
	SDLP	Conor McNeill	1.50%	99	101.4	102.24	102.54
Electorate: 13,455   Valid: 6,600 (49.05%)   Spoilt: 170   Quota: 1,101   Turnout: 6,770 (50.32%)

2005 Election

2001: 2 x DUP, 1 x UUP, 1 x PUP, 1 x Independent

2005: 3 x DUP, 1 x PUP, 1 x Independent

2001-2005 Change: DUP gain from UUP

Court - 5 seats^[10]

Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count
				1	2	3	4	5
	DUP	Diane Dodds	55.73%	4,176
	DUP	William Humphrey	9.06%	679	2,320.52
	DUP	Elaine McMillen*	2.95%	221	730.07	1,577.39
	Independent	Frank McCoubrey*	10.60%	794	1,107.11	1,186.23	1,244.66	1,312.41
	PUP	Hugh Smyth*	10.66%	799	1,003.48	1,043.96	1,065.41	1,174.86
	Ulster Unionist	Chris McGimpsey*	7.67%	575	777.35	860.61	903.08	1,022.96
	Sinn Féin	Francis Hamilton	3.32%	249	266.04	267.42
Electorate: 13,582   Valid: 7,493 (55.17%)   Spoilt: 233   Quota: 1,249   Turnout: 7,726 (56.88%)

2001 Election

1997: 2 x UUP, 1 x DUP, 1 x PUP, 1 x UDP

2001: 2 x DUP, 1 x UUP, 1 x PUP, 1 x Independent

1997-2001 Change: DUP gain from UUP, UDP becomes Independent

Court - 5 seats^[11]

Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count
				1	2	3	4	5
	DUP	Eric Smyth*	26.71%	2,605
	Independent	Frank McCoubrey*	17.76%	1,732
	Ulster Unionist	Chris McGimpsey*	15.66%	1,527	1,612.8	1,661.97
	PUP	Hugh Smyth*	13.70%	1,336	1,450.66	1,478.05	1,510.05	1,774.05
	DUP	Elaine McMillen	7.38%	720	1,401.33	1,411.89	1,438.85	1,639.85
	PUP	William Smith	8.34%	813	861.75	875.75	893.67	991.67
	Ulster Unionist	Fred Cobain*	7.40%	722	764.51	787.9	812.78
	Sinn Féin	Mick Conlon	2.76%	269	269.39
	National Liberal Party	David Kerr	0.29%	28	31.9
Electorate: 15,674   Valid: 9,752 (62.22%)   Spoilt: 333   Quota: 1,626   Turnout: 10,085 (64.34%)

1997 Election

1993: 2 x UUP, 1 x DUP, 1 x PUP, 1 x Independent Unionist

1997: 2 x UUP, 1 x PUP, 1 x DUP, 1 x UDP

1993-1997 Change: UDP gain from Independent Unionist

Court - 5 seats^[12]

Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count
				1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
	PUP	Hugh Smyth*	32.83%	3,070
	DUP	Eric Smyth*	16.82%	1,573
	Ulster Democratic	Frank McCoubrey	12.83%	1,200	1,545.28	1,552.32	1,553.48	1,581.48
	Ulster Unionist	Fred Cobain*	11.21%	1,048	1,240.92	1,248.52	1,249.78	1,297.29	1,326.32	1,369.48	1,699.48
	Ulster Unionist	Chris McGimpsey*	8.56%	800	1,039.2	1,053.28	1,054.7	1,088.81	1,121.22	1,184.77	1,362.25
	Ind. Unionist	Joseph Coggle*	4.35%	407	755.92	763.04	764.22	838.38	868.22	936.49	1,084.08
	Ulster Unionist	Glenn Bradley	5.49%	513	617	627.6	628.27	662.05	679.85	839.12
	Ulster Unionist	Denis Robinson	2.53%	237	349.84	350.84	351.62	372.7	405.17
	NI Women's Coalition	Linda Walker	1.60%	150	208.76	308.52	309.02	325.22
	DUP	Margaret Ferris	2.22%	208	291.72	296.76	303.48
	Alliance	John Roberts	1.54%	144	165.32
Electorate: 17,089   Valid: 9,350 (54.71%)   Spoilt: 243   Quota: 1,559   Turnout: 9,593 (56.14%)

1993 Election

1989: 2 x UUP, 1 x DUP, 1 x PUP, 1 x Protestant Unionist, 1 x Independent Unionist

1993: 2 x UUP, 1 x DUP, 1 x PUP, 1 x Independent Unionist

1989-1993 Change: Protestant Unionist loss due to the reduction of one seat

Court - 5 seats^[13]

Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count
				1	2	3	4	5	6	7
	DUP	Eric Smyth*	24.98%	2,385
	Ulster Unionist	Fred Cobain*	17.53%	1,674
	PUP	Hugh Smyth*	16.85%	1,609
	Ulster Unionist	Chris McGimpsey	15.42%	1,472	1,672.2
	Ind. Unionist	Joseph Coggle*	8.29%	792	1,010.4	1,101.4	1,133.55	1,158.34	1,164.77	1,569.37
	Ulster Unionist	Herbert Ditty*	5.99%	572	695.9	792.7	824.4	859.25	861.65	1,068.26
	PUP	Elizabeth Seawright*	5.84%	558	772.2	819.65	832.3	850.32	855.74
	Alliance	Irene Galway	3.89%	371	387.1
	Workers' Party	Peter Cullen	1.21%	116	119.5
Electorate: 18,813   Valid: 9,549 (50.76%)   Spoilt: 332   Quota: 1,592   Turnout: 9,881 (52.52%)

1989 Election

1985: 2 x UUP, 1 x DUP, 1 x PUP, 1 x Protestant Unionist, 1 x Independent Unionist

1989: 2 x UUP, 1 x DUP, 1 x PUP, 1 x Protestant Unionist, 1 x Independent Unionist

1985-1989 Change: No change

Court - 5 seats^[14]

Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count
				1	2	3	4	5	6	7
	PUP	Hugh Smyth*	24.25%	2,533
	Protestant Unionist	Elizabeth Seawright	13.48%	1,408	1,768.36
	Ulster Unionist	Fred Cobain*	11.20%	1,170	1,253.16	1,289.54	1,294.54	1,334.82	1,468.84	1,669.84
	DUP	Eric Smyth	9.63%	1,006	1,158.04	1,197.48	1,199.48	1,220.08	1,276.5	1,559.5
	Ind. Unionist	Joseph Coggle*	9.12%	953	1,134.02	1,212.9	1,217.9	1,253.74	1,349.08	1,439.04
	Ulster Unionist	Herbert Ditty*	8.59%	897	962.52	1,002.98	1,005.32	1,030.92	1,208.88	1,309.8
	Independent	William Smith	6.87%	717	809.4	847.82	849.82	932.84	979.16	1,008.36
	DUP	Frederick Ashby*	6.17%	644	673.82	688.1	688.1	703.78	762.72
	Ind. Unionist	Alfie Ferguson	4.87%	509	562.34	583.08	583.08	625.5
	Workers' Party	Peter Cullen	3.51%	367	374.98	379.06	467.06
	Sinn Féin	Joe Austin	2.30%	240	240.42	240.76
Electorate: 21,173   Valid: 10,444 (49.33%)   Spoilt: 381   Quota: 1,493   Turnout: 10,825 (51.13%)

1985 Election

1985: 2 x UUP, 1 x DUP, 1 x PUP, 1 x Protestant Unionist, 1 x Independent Unionist

Court - 5 seats^[15]

Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count
				1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
	Protestant Unionist	George Seawright*	24.39%	2,970
	PUP	Hugh Smyth*	14.46%	1,761
	DUP	Frederick Ashby*	11.66%	1,420	1,591.36	1,593.78	1,681.1	1,682.1	1,732.92	2,186.92
	Ulster Unionist	Herbert Ditty	9.83%	1,197	1,288.98	1,296.98	1,312.28	1,313.28	1,618.2	1,695.52	1,781.52
	Ulster Unionist	Fred Cobain	6.60%	804	846	847	856.1	858.1	1,028.28	1,101.26	1,216.26	1,457.46
	Ind. Unionist	Joseph Coggle*	7.34%	894	1,134.66	1,139.08	1,144.76	1,146.76	1,201.2	1,266.44	1,336.44	1,471.32
	Ulster Democratic	Samuel Doyle	4.40%	536	837.56	842.98	859.22	860.22	946.5	1,004.12	1,050.12	1,097.32
	Alliance	William Dukelow	5.14%	626	642.38	730.8	732.64	874.64	899.16	907	914
	DUP	William Baxter	4.70%	572	706.4	708.82	800.34	800.34	826.64
	Ulster Unionist	James Sands	5.13%	624	750	751	773.24	773.24
	Sinn Féin	Harry Fitzsimmons	3.55%	432	432.42	463.42	463.42
	DUP	Robert Morrow	1.49%	182	260.96	261.38
	Workers' Party	Peter Cullen	1.29%	157	161.62
Electorate: 22,375   Valid: 12,175 (54.41%)   Spoilt: 372   Quota: 1,740   Turnout: 12,547 (56.08%)

See also

• Shankill Road
• Belfast City Council
• Electoral wards of Belfast
• Local government in Northern Ireland
• Members of Belfast City Council

Elections

• 2019 Belfast City Council election
• 2014 Belfast City Council election
• 2011 Belfast City Council election
• 2005 Northern Ireland local elections § Belfast
• 2001 Northern Ireland local elections § Belfast
• 1997 Northern Ireland local elections § Belfast
• 1993 Northern Ireland local elections § Belfast
• 1989 Northern Ireland local elections § Belfast
• 1985 Northern Ireland local elections § Belfast

References

1. "Ward Information for Crumlin (Belfast) ward 95GG19". NISRA. Retrieved 22 December 2013.
2. "Ward Information for Glencairn ward 95GG26". NISRA. Retrieved 22 December 2013.
3. "Ward Information for Highfield ward 95GG28". NISRA. Retrieved 22 December 2013.
4. "Ward Information for Shankill ward 95GG40". NISRA. Retrieved 22 December 2013.
5. "Ward Information for Woodvale ward 95GG51". NISRA. Retrieved 22 December 2013.
6. "Northern Ireland council election: List of all the candidates in the May 2023 poll". Belfast Live. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
7. "Local Council Elections 2019 - Results by Stage". 2 May 2019. Retrieved 20 January 2022.
8. "Local Council Elections 2014 - Results by Stage". 22 May 2014. Retrieved 20 January 2022.
9. "Court Result Sheet" (PDF). EONI. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
10. "Local Government Results 2005". EONI. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
11. "Local Government Results 2001". EONI. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
12. "Local Government Results 1997". EONI. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
13. "Local Government Results 1993". EONI. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
14. "Local Government Results 1989". EONI. Retrieved 8 July 2021.
15. "Local Government Results 1985". EONI. Retrieved 8 July 2021.