NILGA President
Cllr Billy Webb has served as a Councillor continuously since 1997 and has held the positions of Deputy Mayor and Mayor of Newtownabbey Council, as well as Mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council in 2021/22.
Cllr Webb has been an Office Bearer with NILGA since May 2023 and served on the Executive in the previous mandate. He is Party Group Leader in the council. Cllr Webb engages in all strands of council and brings with him his experience as a former Civil Servant.
For correspondence, please email president@nilga.org
NILGA Vice-President
Cllr Garrett was elected to Belfast City Council in 2011, and he has represented the Collin Electoral Area since May 2014. A serving NILGA Office Bearer since 2019, Matt was elected NILGA President for the 2023/24 term and previously served as President for the 2020/21 term.
He is the Deputy Chair of the Belfast City Council People and Communities Committee, and he also sits on the council's Planning Committee and Strategic Policy and Resources Committee.
NILGA Vice-President
Cllr Alison Bennington has worked in Local Government for 38 years and has a long standing record of delivery in Leisure Arts and Parks. She was appointed as Vice President of NILGA in 2023 and then elected President for the 2024/25 term.
Within Council Alison sits on various committees, is Veterans Champion and is Chair on several school Governors Boards. Alison has a keen interest on waste management, strategy development, and investing in infrastructure to deliver services of value to the ratepayers.
NILGA Vice-President
Alderman Hazel Legge was appointed as NILGA Office Bearer in May 2023, following the council elections. She was first elected to Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council in 2014 and appointed Deputy Mayor for the 2017/18 and 2025/26 council years. Outside NILGA, she serves as a governor on two school boards of governors.
NILGA Vice-President
Cllr Whyte is the SDLP Councillor for Castle DEA and was first elected in 2019 and was re-elected in 2023. During his time as a Councillor Carl has served as Chair of the Belfast PSCP and Chair of Belfast City Council’s Planning Committee. Previously Carl was a member of the Independent Commission on Flags, Identity, Culture and Tradition and he continues to work in communications & research.
Office Bearer Alternatives
Cllr Dermot Nicholl (Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council, Sinn Fein)
Ald Stephen Moutray (Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council, DUP)
Ald Alan McDowell (Ards and North Down Borough Council, Alliance)
Cllr Terry Andrews (Newry, Mourne and Down District Council, SDLP)
Cllr Vera McWilliam (Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council, UUP)