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Derek Hussey | |
|---|---|
| Leader of theUlster Unionist Party onDerry City and Strabane District Council | |
| In office 22 May 2014 – 2 May 2019 | |
| Leader | Mike Nesbitt Robin Swann |
| Preceded by | Office created |
| Succeeded by | Darren Guy |
| Member ofDerry City and Strabane District Council | |
| Assumed office 20 November 2020 | |
| Preceded by | Andy McKane |
| Constituency | Derg |
| In office 22 May 2014 – 13 August 2019 | |
| Preceded by | New council |
| Succeeded by | Andy McKane |
| Constituency | Derg |
| Member of Strabane District Council | |
| In office 17 May 1989 – 22 May 2014 | |
| Preceded by | David Baird |
| Succeeded by | Council abolished |
| Constituency | Derg |
| Member of theNorthern Ireland Assembly forWest Tyrone | |
| In office 25 June 1998 – 7 March 2007 | |
| Preceded by | New Creation |
| Succeeded by | Allan Bresland |
| Member of the Northern Ireland Forum forWest Tyrone | |
| In office 30 May 1996 – 25 April 1998 | |
| Preceded by | Forum created |
| Succeeded by | Forum dissolved |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1948-09-12)12 September 1948 (age 77) |
| Political party | Ulster Unionist Party (since 1997) |
| Other political affiliations | Independent Unionist (1989-1997) |
| Spouse | Karen Hussey |
| Children | Robert, Craig and Rachel |
| Alma mater | Omagh Academy |
| Occupation | school teacher |
| Profession | teaching |
| Website | http://www.uup.org/ |
Derek Robert Hussey (born 12 September 1948) is anUlster Unionist Party (UUP) politician, serving as aDerry and Strabane Councillor for theDerg DEA since 2020, having previously served between2014 and 2019. Hussey was aMember of the Northern Ireland Assembly (MLA) forWest Tyrone from1998 to2007.
Hussey was educated atOmagh Model School,Omagh Academy andStranmillis College, Belfast. He was previously a teacher atCastlederg High School.
He was elected toStrabane District Council in1989 for the Derg District.[1] In 2007, he was elected Chairman of the council. In the 1996 election to theNorthern Ireland Peace Forum, Hussey was elected as representative forWest Tyrone.
In 1998, he was elected as MLA to theNorthern Ireland Assembly, and re-elected in2003.[2] He was a member of acountry and western music band and was known to wear cowboy boots in the 1998–2003 Assembly.[3]He was an outgoing candidate in the 2007 Assembly elections, but lost his seat. His brother,Ross Hussey, re-took the UUP seat in 2011.
He also has a special interest in regional development,Ulster-Scots and theOrange Order. Hussey continued his role in local politics, and was re-elected as the only UUP Councillor on Strabane District Council in2011. Hussey was later elected onto the newly-formedDerry and Strabane District Council in the2014 local elections, still representing Derg, and was re-elected at the2019 and2023 elections.
Derek Hussey has been convicted of driving with excess alcohol on three occasions, most recently in March 2016.[4]
This follows previous convictions in 2004,[5] when Mr Hussey was aMember of the Legislative Assembly for West Tyrone and 2011,[6] when he was a councillor for the Derg DEA onStrabane District Council.
Following the most recent conviction in March 2016, Alderman Hussey was suspended by the Ulster Unionist Party[7] On completion of community service the suspension was lifted and he still sits as an Ulster Unionist member ofDerry City and Strabane District Council.
The Hussey family have a strong connection with thesecurity forces with Hussey himself serving as a part-time Special Constable with theUlster Special Constabulary (USC), his late father Sydney Robert Hussey had served in the Royal Navy during World War II and the USC andUlster Defence Regiment (UDR) until his death. His mother served in theWomen's Royal Naval Service and the UDR, his brother Harold William was a sergeant in theRoyal Ulster Constabulary (RUC), his sister was in the UDR andRoyal Irish Regiment and his politician brother Ross also served as a part-time member of the RUC.
| Northern Ireland Forum | ||
|---|---|---|
| New forum | Member forWest Tyrone 1996–1998 | Forum dissolved |
| Northern Ireland Assembly | ||
| New assembly | MLA forTyrone, West 1998–2007 | Succeeded by |