COUNCILLOR EDDIE THOMPSON (DUP)

District Electoral Area: Ards East

First Elected: 2011

Contact Details:

20 Abbeydale Park
Movilla Road
Newtownards
BT23 8RE

Tel: 07917 521954
E: councillor.eddie.thompson@ards-council.gov.uk

Eddie was married in 1975 and has lived in the Abbeydale Estate for 36 years with his wife Kathleen.They have 3 girls and 1 grandchild. He is member of First Presbyterian Church, Newtownards.

He was born and bred on the Shankill Road in Belfast. His family moved to the Forthriver area, where he attended Somerdale Secondary School, attaining "O " Level Standard. After leaving school he completed a full apprenticeship, and attended Belfast College of Further Education achieving City & Guilds Certification.

Eddie was a member of Townsend Street Presbyterian Church and the 29th Company of The Boys Brigade, where he reached the rank of Warrant Officer. During this time he was also a voluntary part-time Youth Worker for the church.

He was employed by various engineering companies, including Harland & Wolff,where he worked on the super-tankers, before moving on to spend many years as a Sales Engineer and Representative, working with many companies throughout Northern Ireland. During this time Eddie was also employed by the South Eastern Education and Library Board as a part-time Youth-Leader-In-Charge at Tullycarnet Youth Centre in Dundonald, where he spent many happy years helping the young people of the area.

In 1996 Eddie joined Boc Gases at Castlereagh as manager of the Cylinder Collection Facility. He is currently employed as Gas and Gear Manager, and is also a CP Inspector, BTEC Approved Trainor and Assessor for the company in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland Business Area.

Eddie has been a member of the DUP since 2002, and his motivation to get involved in politics comes from understanding the problems people have, and wanting to help during these hard times, and he believes that DUP policies offer the best support to achieving this aim.

Councillor Thompson is a member of the following committees and sub-committees:

Co-ordinating Sub-Committee
Council Services Committee
Development Committee
Education Sub-Committee
Events Sub-Committee
External & Planning Committee
Health & Social Services Committee
Policy & Resources Committee
Service Delivery Improvement Group