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The first count is now under way for the cityside wards and it is expected that the full make up of the new Derry City & Strabane District Council will become clear later today.

There are six seats to be filled in the Ballyarnett ward, five in Foyleside and five in The Moor.

The eighth count in the Sperrin ward is now also under way at Foyle Arena and it’s close at the top between a number of candidates. There are still 4 seats to be decided here, with Sinn Féin having taken the first 3 yesterday in the seven seater ward.

The quota for this ward is 1477 with four candidates sitting at above 1,100 votes each at stage 7. They are Allan Bresland (DUP) 1,217.18, Raymond Barr (Independent) 1,206.45, Paul Gallagher 1,194.95 (Independent) and Jason Barr (SDLP) 1,174.93. DUP candidate Maurice Devenney was sitting with 973.43 votes at the final count on Friday night.

In alphabetical order, the nine candidates standing in the Ballyarnett ward. Top row left to right: Colm Cavanagh (Alliance), Damien Doherty (People Before Profit), Emmet Doyle (Aontú). Middle row left to right: Sandra Duffy (Sinn Féin), Rory Farrell (SDLP), Cartherine McDaid (SDLP). Bottom row: John McGowan (Sinn Féin), Patrick Murphy (Sinn Féin) and Brian Tierney (SDLP).

As things stand, 20 of the 40 seats have been declared with the Derg, Faughan and Waterside counts completed on the first day of the count.

So far, Sinn Féin have 10 Councillors elected, with the party well placed to make significant gains on its 2019 showing in Derry & Strabane when 11 Councillors were returned in total across all 7 wards.

The DUP have returned 4 Aldermen so far.

The SDLP are currently sitting with 3 seats before the breakdown of the cityside votes are confirmed, while the UUP have increased their representation by 1, bringing their total thus far to 3 Aldermen.

In alphabetical order, the candidates for The Moor ward, top row l-r John Boyle (SDLP), Darryl Christy (Aontú), Gary Donnelly (Independent), middle row l-r Michael Downey (Alliance), Dermott Henderson (SDLP), Aisling Hutton (Sinn Féin), bottom l-r Patricia Logue (Sinn Féin), Emma McGinley (Sinn Féin) and Maeve O'Neill (People Before Profit).

The candidates standing in The Moor Ward In alphabetical order are: John Boyle (SDLP), Darryl Christy (Aontú), Gary Donnelly (Independent), Michael Downey (Alliance), Dermott Henderson (SDLP), Aisling Hutton (Sinn Féin), bottom l-r Patricia Logue (Sinn Féin), Emma McGinley (Sinn Féin) and Maeve O'Neill (People Before Profit).

The candidates standing in the Ballyarnett ward are: Colm Cavanagh (Alliance), Damien Doherty (People Before Profit), Emmet Doyle (Aontú), Sandra Duffy (Sinn Féin), Rory Farrell (SDLP), Cartherine McDaid (SDLP), John McGowan (Sinn Féin), Patrick Murphy (Sinn Féin) and Brian Tierney (SDLP).

The candidates in the Foyleside ward are: Lilian Seenoi-Barr (SDLP), Shauna Cusack (SDLP), Shaun Harkin (People Before Profit), Conor Heaney (Sinn Féin), Seán Mac Cearáin (Aontú), Stephen McCallion (SDLP), Danny McCloskey (Alliance) and Grace Uí Niallais (Sinn Féin).

First count under way for cityside wards in Derry & Strabane Council election