Unionist Derry City and Strabane District Council representatives have rejected an element of this year’s Local Democracy Week, due to a planned discussion around what a new Ireland could look like.

Despite objections from UUP alderman Derek Hussey and DUP alderman Niree McMorris, members voted to approve the 2026 programme.

The Local Democracy Week initiative, which has been hosted by council for the last 16 years, aims to raise awareness among primary and secondary school aged pupils on how local councils operate.

Members of September’s Governance and Strategic Planning Committee asked to approve the Local Democracy Week 2026 programme, which includes events such as ‘Meet the City and District’s No. 1 Citizen’, an interactive introduction to local democracy with Mayor Grace Uí Niallais, for pupils aged 5 to 11, and a ‘What Could a New Ireland Look Like?’ panel discussion, for pupils aged 12 to 18, both of which take place at the Guildhall on Monday, October 12; a youth roundtable at the Guildhall on the evening of Tuesday, October 13; and a Q&A Session with the Mayor and elected members, for pupils aged 12 to 17 from Sperrin and Derg DEA schools, at Derry Road, Strabane, on October 15.

placeholder image — UUP Alderman Derek Hussey

Additionally, pupils may invite the Mayor and elected members to their schools to deliver an assembly Q&A and view council or Committee meetings in person from the council chambers’ public gallery.

Independent councillor Gary Donnelly said Local Democracy Week was a “very valuable exercise” that he looked forward to every year, while Sinn Féin councillor Conor Heaney proposed approval and agreed it was an “important week” that gives young people an insight into how council operates.

Sinn Féin councillor Emma McGinley seconded the proposal and added: “Local Democracy Week is always a real highlight and hearing from our young people is something we should be striving to do when making every decision as a council, so I think that this week of events is vitally important.”

However, alderman Hussey, who chaired the Committee meeting, said that while he approved of all other elements of the programme, he did not think the ‘What Could a New Ireland Look Like?’ panel discussion was appropriate.

“It’s leading, it’s being led rather than the participants leading on it,” he said.“I totally support the entirety of Democracy Week and have done since I’ve been an elected representative, but this particular one, that panel discussion, I cannot support and I will be voting against the proposal because of that inclusion.”

Alderman McMorris added: “In the same vein, Chair, I would also be against the proposal, just for that one element. It should be balanced rather than one-sided, that’s my view, and [for] that reason I’ll be against it.”

People Before Profit councillor Shaun Harkin said he was disappointed in aldermen McMorris and Hussey’s decision.

“I think it’s a good discussion,” he concluded. “I know it’s something a lot of young people across our district are thinking about, particularly in light of he new British Prime Minister’s view that it’s off the table.

“But it also seems to me that people who object to a new Ireland or a United Ireland would be able to give their views on it, and I think that that’s what we actually need.”