The Worshipful the Mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey, Councillor Leah Kirkpatrick.
Councillor Leah Kirkpatrick is the Mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey for 2025-2026.
Councillor Kirkpatrick has lived in the Borough all her life and was elected to the Council in 2019. She serves the Antrim area where she lives with her husband Gary and their two children Eva and Emilie, two dogs and her rescue cat which she hand-reared.
She is on the Board of Governors at Riverside School and Parkhall Primary School and is passionate about education and services for children with additional needs and ensuring accessibility and inclusion for everyone. Leah recently completed her British Sign Language Level 1, is on the Board of Directors at Rehability, Antrim and holds an annual pyjama appeal for Women’s Aid.
In addition, she is the current Chair of the Duke of Edinburgh Legacy Bursary Scheme Working Group, Vice-Chair of the Women’s Sub-Committee and Chair of the Light Up Working Group. She has served on the Operations Committee, Community Development Committee and Peace IV (now PeacePlus) and is a former Chair of PSCP.
Leah has worked in her Party’s constituency office in Ballyclare since 2019.
Duties and Responsibilities of the Mayor
As Mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey, Councillor Leah Kirkpatrick has a number of duties and responsibilities, including:
- presiding over council meetings and, in the case of equality of votes, she has a second or casting vote
- promoting and raising awareness of the Council’s main objectives and priority issues
- encouraging and supporting all aspects of life in Antrim and Newtownabbey by attending civic and public events
- receiving distinguished visitors to the Borough
- acting as host on behalf of the council and the citizens of Antrim and Newtownabbey at civic functions
- acting as a spokesperson to the local, national and international media
- providing an appropriate response on behalf of Antrim and Newtownabbey at times of local, national and international catastrophe
- supporting and encouraging charitable and other appeals as appropriate
- promoting Antrim and Newtownabbey’s business, commercial, cultural and social life
- promoting Antrim and Newtownabbey as a place of excellence in which to live to do business and as a tourist destination