Youngest mayor in Lisburn and Castlereagh's history elected aged just 27

An Alliance councillor will make history this evening when he is installed as the youngest mayor to take up office in Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council. 27-year-old Kurtis Dickson was elected to serve the Downshire East area on the council last year, now the software developer said that it will be an "incredible honour" to represent the whole council area for the next year.

Speaking to Belfast Live ahead of his installation, Kurtis explained that his focus for the year will be on mental health and the environment.

"I'm just incredibly honoured and humbled to be taking up this role, particularly so soon into my term on the council. I was elected just over a year ago to represent Downshire East and now to have the opportunity to represent the entire council - from Carryduff, Lisburn to Dundonald, is just an incredible honour and I am so excited about the year ahead.

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"I had always been interested in politics but I never really saw myself getting into it," he explained. "Like a lot of people, I got involved in politics during the pandemic while I was on furlough. I was finishing up my degree so I had a lot of time to sit and think about I wanted to do and contribute. I have always had an interest in environmental activism so that got me considering if I should join a party and maybe make my own contribution."

Kurtis joined the Alliance Party in September 2020 and told us that he didn't know what to expect.

"I was a Software Developer at the time but I got the bug and I've really enjoyed my journey in politics and running in the election last year. I grew up in a traditional unionist family and while my parents weren't necessarily political, we always talked about politics at dinnertime. They always let us be open-minded about things and come to our own conclusions.

"My parents really wanted me to go to an integrated school and so I went to Fort Hill Integrated College and it was there that shaped my worldview and how I think about politics here. It was at school where I first had the chance to properly meet people from nationalist backgrounds and hearing their identity and culture, it made me realise that we actually had a lot in common and that my identity didn't really fall into the traditional unionist camp."

Kurtis is one of three openly gay councillors to take up mayoral roles this year with his party colleague Micky Murray and the SDLP 's Pete Byrne taking up office on Monday evening in Belfast and Newry, Mourne and Down.

Reflecting on the significance of this, Kurtis said that while it is great to see LGBTQ+ representation at higher levels in politics across Northern Ireland, he doesn't think it will make much of a difference to the people he represents.

"It is incredibly important to see LGBTQ+ representation in these roles and I am so glad to be getting the opportunity to do this with my party colleague Micky Murray in Belfast. It is incredibly important for the LGBT community to see people like them not only in elected roles but also in this civic role.

"For the vast majority of people in Lisburn and Castlereagh, it's probably not going to make too much of a difference to them. They will be happy to see a gay mayor but it won't make much of a difference. However, it will be important for those LGBT people who will now have someone from their background in this role and maybe think that they could do it too.

"If you look at the history of Lisburn, Lagan Valley and even Castlereagh, it hasn't been a pretty picture when it comes to LGBT acceptance. We have really seen this area change so much and the LGBT place in this city change so much. For me to be the first openly gay mayor of Lisburn and Castlereagh is a privilege."

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