NEWS

Communities Minister Gordon Lyons pictured with Julia Cleeland, Operations Director, Mid & East Antrim Community Advice Service, and Paul Frew MLA at a recent visit to Mid & East Antrim Community Advice Service. A major programme designed to help people access debt advice earlier and more easily will continue into the next financial year after strong early results across Northern Ireland. Communities Minister Gordon Lyons has confirmed that the Integrated Advice Partnership F

Shutters down: The changing face of Ballymena town centre. Church Street, Ballymena. Business leaders across Mid and East Antrim have issued a stark warning to councillors: town centres are entering a period of accelerating decline — and without urgent intervention the damage could become irreversible. In coordinated correspondence sent directly by email to Mid and East Antrim Borough Council’s elected representatives, the chairs of Larne Business Forum and Ballymena Business

Carrickfergus seafront… with an added beach Mid and East Antrim Borough Council has confirmed it will not proceed with plans to create a beach at Carrickfergus seafront. A Freedom of Information (FOI) request received by the council in June last year sought details regarding its plans to “realise this objective”. The council was asked: “How can the issues facing natural sand recycling, foul smelling seaweed and the extent of high tide placing water right up against the wall b

A routine patrol in Carrickfergus has led to the seizure of approximately one kilogram of suspected cocaine, a large sum of cash and designer goods — and the arrest of two people now being questioned by detectives. Police in Carrickfergus arrested a 39-year-old man and a 32-year-old woman in the early hours of Monday 23rd February at a car park in the Marine Highway area of the town. The pair were in a parked car which was approached by a passing police patrol shortly after 2

Children from Carniny Primary School and St. Colmcille’s Primary School taking part in the Top Children's Author Election in 2025 Almost 1,800 primary school pupils across Mid and East Antrim will head to the polls on World Book Day as part of a special ‘Top Children’s Author Election’ marking Democracy Week 2026. Seventeen primary schools from across the borough are participating in the initiative, which sees ten Northern Ireland children’s writers vying for the votes of you

Mid and East Antrim Borough Council looks set to join a neighbouring authority in restricting commercial use of household recycling centres (HRCs). The issue was discussed behind closed doors at Monday’s meeting of the borough council at The Braid in Ballymena. At last month’s meeting of the council’s Environment and Economy Committee, councillors were asked to “reinstate the system used during Covid” , which restricted access by commercial vehicles and limited use of househo

Elected members of the DUP party group on Mid and East Antrim Borough Council Party says below-inflation rise safeguards services and delivers long-term investment The DUP has defended its decision to vote in favour of a 2.95% rates increase at Mid and East Antrim Borough Council, arguing the move was necessary to protect frontline services while enabling significant long-term investment across Ballymena, Carrickfergus and Larne. The DUP party group includes elected members R

Elected members of the TUV party group serving on Mid and East Antrim Borough Council The Traditional Unionist Voice (TUV) group on Mid and East Antrim Borough Council has confirmed it opposed the district rate increase approved at Monday night’s council meeting, arguing that greater steps could and should have been taken to reduce the financial burden on households and businesses across the borough. The TUV group includes Councillor Matthew Armstrong (Ballymena), Councillo

Mid and East Antrim’s Ulster Unionist Party Group on Council The Mid and East Antrim Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) Group has voted against the Council’s decision to increase domestic and non-domestic district rates by 2.95 per cent. The vote was taken at a meeting of Mid and East Antrim Borough Council on Monday 9 February, when councillors approved the rates increase for the coming financial year. The group includes (in alphabetical order), Councillor Alan Barr (Braid), Counc

Mid and East Antrim Council chamber Mid and East Antrim Borough Council will hold a special meeting this evening (Monday, 9 February) to strike the domestic and non-domestic rate for the 2026/27 financial year. For a second consecutive year, the local authority is expected to strike a single rate for households and businesses. Last-minute negotiations are likely to continue behind closed doors at The Braid in Ballymena, following a series of rates workshops held in recent mon

Communities Minister Gordon Lyons is pictured in his office signing the Northern Ireland Football Fund Letter of Offers. Communities Minister Gordon Lyons has announced the first funding offers under the Northern Ireland Football Fund (NIFF), bringing a welcome boost to football clubs across Northern Ireland. Among the 20 clubs progressing through the Performance Programme, Ballymena United, Larne FC , and Carrick Rangers are set to receive crucial support to refine their b

Mayor of Mid and East Antrim, Councillor Jackson Minford, has announced Creative Industries Week 2026 which will run from the 16 February with a programme of events taking place. Mid and East Antrim Borough Council has announced the return of its Creative Industries Week, a borough-wide celebration of creativity, innovation and opportunity, running from 16 February 2026. Designed to support people at every stage of their creative journey, the week will feature a diverse progr

Staff members at Archway Community Mental Health Service pictured with the Health Minister, Mike Nesbitt. The Northern Health and Social Care Trust has strengthened its commitment to community-based mental health care with the opening of new bespoke facilities in Carrickfergus. The newly launched Archway Community Mental Health Service , located within the grounds of Carrickfergus Health Centre, provides assessment, diagnosis and treatment for individuals experiencing mental

Wellington Street in Ballymena town centre Mid and East Antrim councillors have agreed to double funding for the Town Centre Revamp Refresh initiative after almost 100 businesses across the borough applied for support. A report presented to the borough council’s Environment and Economy Committee at a meeting in The Braid, Ballymena, on Monday evening revealed there were 47 applications from Ballymena, 28 from Carrickfergus and 22 from Larne. The report stated that £40,000 wa

Council’s Interim Chief Executive, Valerie Watts Fresh upheaval has emerged at Mid and East Antrim Borough Council following the sudden termination of a senior management contract, a move that has raised questions over governance, transparency and potential financial implications for ratepayers. Love Ballymena understands that Valerie Watts , who has been Council’s Interim Chief Executive since June 2022, has ended the contract of the interim Director of Operations with imme

The Met Office has issued an amber weather warning for parts of Northern Ireland as Storm Chandra is forecast to bring very strong winds, heavy rain and the risk of disruption on Tuesday. The amber warning will be in effect between 05:00 and 21:00 on Tuesday 27 January 2026 , covering County Antrim, County Down and County Londonderry. Forecasters warn that easterly winds will strengthen rapidly early on Tuesday morning, with gusts of 60–70 mph expected across eastern and nort

Digitally composed views of the Spa at the Amphitheatre, Carrickfergus, once refurbishment is completed. A £1 million refurbishment of the Spa at Carrickfergus Amphitheatre is now underway, marking a major investment in local leisure and wellbeing facilities and reinforcing the venue’s long-term role at the heart of the community. The Spa area has closed to the public to allow essential works to begin on what council officials have described as a “Spa-tacular” upgrade. Once c

(L-R) Samantha Peden, Cullybackey Community Partnership; Valerie Guthrie, Alzheimer’s UK; Daniel McCurdy, Libraries NI; Marjorie Hawkins, Chair MEA Loneliness Network; Debbie Chestnutt, Good Morning Ballymena; Sabrina Lynn, NHSCT. (Image: Bernie McAllister) Four individuals have been formally recognised for their commitment to tackling loneliness and social isolation across Mid and East Antrim, as the local Loneliness Network welcomed four new Loneliness Champions. Daniel McC

Mid and East Antrim Borough Council has agreed to press ahead with the renaming of Prince Andrew Way in Carrickfergus, despite legal advice. A report to councillors indicated that the local authority does not currently have a street naming or renaming policy, and that the council’s legal team has advised a policy should be developed and approved before the renaming of Prince Andrew Way proceeds. In November, the borough council agreed to drop the street name following an Alli

Mayor of Mid and East Antrim, Councillor Jackson Minford pictured with Joan Burney Keatings MBE with cast and crew from Cinemagic Placement Insights Programme. Young filmmakers from across Mid and East Antrim have taken centre stage after seeing their work showcased on the big screen at a special short film screening held at the Ecos Hub. A group of 23 talented young people, aged between 17 and 24, attended the screening of The Friendship Garden, an original short film develo