Alliance to hold sway in Belfast

 10 May 2011 Last updated at 05:38 GMT More than half of NI's council seats have been declared, with losses for Ulster Unionists and the SDLP and gains for the DUP, Sinn Fein and Alliance.

In Belfast, Alliance again looks set to hold the balance of power when counting is completed on Tuesday.

The DUP and UUP agreed to form a joint group on Castlereagh Council after the DUP lost overall control.

So far, the DUP has won 162 seats, Sinn Fein 128, the Ulster Unionist Party 91, the SDLP 72 and Alliance 41.

Others have won 38 seats.

The first result emerged 45 minutes after counting began on Monday morning to fill 582 seats in 26 councils.

The results have largely mirrored those in the NI Assembly poll with the DUP and Sinn Fein well ahead of their rivals.

In the 2005 council elections, the DUP received 30% of the overall vote, Sinn Fein 23%, UUP 18%, SDLP 17% and Alliance 5%.

In Belfast, the Ulster Unionists are at risk of dropping to just three seats, while Alliance may double its representation - ensuring it continues to hold the balance of power.

The DUP is making gains in areas such as Belfast and Lisburn, but lost overall control of Castlereagh due to gains by Alliance and the Green Party.

The DUP's Sharon Skillen, who won the seat previously held by the DUP's Iris Robinson, lost her seat.

Sinn Fein's Oliver McMullan has won a seat in Larne, topping the poll in his ward.

Paul Berry, who was suspended from the DUP in 2005, has been re-elected to Armagh City Council as an independent.

However, former Sinn Fein assembly member Gerry McHugh has lost his seat on Fermanagh District Council.