IN a letter to the Times this week, Cllr. Stirling, who broke with the DUP after the party agreed to Sinn Fein in government, says all manner of background negotiations are currently taking place but that he would, given the opportunity, cast his vote for long serving councillor, P.J. McAvoy.

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Here's what Cllr. Stirling has to say about what he terms as 'sordid wheeling and dealing' in the corridors of power.

SIR - Quite soon the decision will be made to appoint the Mayor of Ballymena Borough Council. New Age DUP is now the largest party in council and, to my knowledge, has already engaged in sordid wheeling and dealing which characterises that unprincipled party.

In the past year, to ensure SDLP support, New Age DUP was forced, much against stated principles, to endorse Alderman P.J. McAvoy as Deputy-mayor.

When I was a member of DUP the party had an unequivocal rule; on no account were members of the DUP to support SDLP for preferment in council. To do so would incur the unbridled wrath of Dr Ian Paisley and, if the erring member persisted in his apostasy, expulsion from the party would follow.
Indeed, in those days before Paisley's embrace of the new liberalism, a cowardly capitulation, he told me that he held SDLP as repellent as Sinn Fein/IRA.

Deputy-mayor Alderman P.J. McAvoy has performed his role with efficiency and pleasing humour. No one can deny he has a comprehensive and enviable knowledge of the complexities of local government and is indefatigable in furthering the interests of all the citizens of Ballymena.

It is inconsequential that the only reason the appointment was approved by New Age DUP was to circumvent a greater evil in their eyes – the bestowal of office upon the UUCP or the Ulster Unionist Party.

Thus, with arcane manoeuvrings, hardly inspired by Christian principles, New Age DUP achieved a victory, limited in that the party had to compromise in accepting Alderman McAvoy to high office.

New Age DUP now faces a difficult dilemma, the resolution of which exercises all our minds. Currently, sources inform me that elements within the electorate, that is those clinging to the arch-bigot Dr Paisley of past times, will not accept Alderman P.J. McAvoy with equanimity.

Individuals from within the Orange Order Institution, subscribing to the Paisley of old, inform me that the appointment of an SDLP mayor will have dire consequences for New Age DUP.

I am also told that there are certain rumblings within the local Paisleyite councillors.

If I am correct, and have not been misinformed, the impending situation is somewhat paradoxical. Dr Paisley has engaged in a disgraceful coalition with those he has termed "Godfathers of Terrorism".

Why should anyone, still subscribing to his leadership or that of successor Peter Robinson, baulk at having an SDLP mayor of Ballymena?

Given the opportunity I shall vote for Alderman P.J. McAvoy to assume the post of First Citizen.

The appointment would fulfil the demands of natural justice, would enhance the image of Ballymena and go a little distance towards demonstrating that New Age DUP retains a vestige of honour.

It would also indicate that the party had the intellect to appreciate how anomalous it would be to thwart Alderman McAvoy while Dr Paisley consorts happily with gunmen and bombers.

Yours faithfully,
Councillor Robin Stirling
UUCP