Local government in Northern Ireland
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Local government in Northern Irelandis divided among 11 districts. Councils inNorthern Irelanddo not carry out the same range of functions as those in the rest of theUnited Kingdom;for example they have no responsibility for education, road-building or housing (although they do nominate members to the advisoryNorthern Ireland Housing Council). Their functions includeplanning,waste and recycling services,leisure and community services, building control and local economic and cultural development. The collection ofratesis handled centrally by theLand and Property Servicesagency of theNorthern Ireland Executive.
Local government districts
[edit]![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8d/Northern_Ireland%2C_administrative_divisions_-_Nmbrs_-_colored.svg/350px-Northern_Ireland%2C_administrative_divisions_-_Nmbrs_-_colored.svg.png)
The 11 districts were established in 2015.[1][2]Basic geographical statistics are shown below. Previously (between 1972 and 2015) the country was divided into26 smaller districts.
Composition of district councils
[edit]Based on the2023 Northern Ireland local elections.
Name | SF | DUP | APNI | UUP | SDLP | TUV | GPNI | PBP | PUP | Ind. | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Antrim & Newtownabbey | 9 | 13 | 8 | 6 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 3 | 40 |
Ards & North Down | — | 14 | 12 | 8 | 1 | — | 2 | — | — | 3 | 40 |
Armagh, Banbridge & Craigavon | 15 | 13 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | 1 | 41 |
Belfast | 22 | 14 | 11 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 1 | — | 1 | 60 |
Causeway Coast & Glens | 12 | 12 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | — | — | 1 | 1 | 40 |
Derry & Strabane | 18 | 5 | — | 3 | 8 | — | — | 1 | — | 5 | 40 |
Fermanagh & Omagh | 21 | 6 | 2 | 7 | 3 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 40 |
Lisburn & Castlereagh | 4 | 14 | 13 | 6 | 2 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 40 |
Mid & East Antrim | 4 | 13 | 7 | 8 | — | 6 | — | — | — | 2 | 40 |
Mid-Ulster | 19 | 11 | — | 2 | 5 | — | — | — | — | 3 | 40 |
Newry, Mourne & Down | 20 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 8 | — | — | — | — | 2 | 41 |
Total | 144 | 120 | 67 | 53 | 37 | 10 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 23 | 462 |
Last updated 21 May 2024
History
[edit]The current pattern of 11 local government districts was established on 1 April 2015, as a result of thereform processthat started in 2005.
The previous pattern of local government in Northern Ireland, with 26 councils, was established in 1973 by theLocal Government (Boundaries) Act (Northern Ireland) 1971and theLocal Government Act (Northern Ireland) 1972to replace the previous system established by theLocal Government (Ireland) Act 1898.The system was based on the recommendations of the Macrory Report, of June 1970, which presupposed the continued existence of theGovernment of Northern Irelandto act as a regional-level authority.[9]
From 1921 to 1973, Northern Ireland was divided into sixadministrative counties(subdivided intourban and rural districts) and twocounty boroughs.The counties and county boroughs continue to exist for the purposes oflieutenancyandshrievalty.[10]This system, with the abolition of rural districts, remains the model for local government in theRepublic of Ireland.(See alsoList of rural and urban districts in Northern Irelandfor more details)
Elections
[edit]Councillors are elected for a four-year term of office under thesingle transferable vote(STV) system. Elections were last held on18 May 2023.To qualify for election, a councillor candidate must be:
- at least 18 years of age, and
- aCommonwealth of NationsorEuropean Unioncitizen
In addition, they must either:
- be a local elector for the district, or
- have, during the whole of the 12-month period prior to the election, either owned or occupied land in the district, or else resided or worked in the district
Combinations
[edit]The districts are combined for various purposes.
Eurostat NUTS level 3
[edit]In theEurostatNomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics(NUTS), Northern Ireland is divided into five parts at level 3
Former education and library boards
[edit]There were five education and library boards (ELBs) in Northern Ireland.
As part of the Review of Public Administration process, the library functions of the ELBs were taken over by a new body, theNorthern Ireland Library Authority(brandedLibraries NI) in April 2009.[11]
The education and skills functions were centralised into a singleEducation Authority for Northern Irelandin April 2015.[12]
The boards were as follows:
Former health and social services boards
[edit]There were four health and social services boards which were replaced by a singleHealth and Social Care Boardin April 2009.[13]
The former health and social services boards were as follows:
Reform
[edit]In June 2002, theNorthern Ireland Executiveestablished a Review of Public Administration to review the arrangements for the accountability, development, administration and delivery of public services. Among its recommendations were a reduction in the number of districts.[14]In 2005Peter Hain,theSecretary of State for Northern Ireland,announced proposals to reduce the number of councils to seven.[15]The names and boundaries of the seven districts were announced in March 2007.[16]In March 2008 the restored Northern Executive agreed to create eleven new councils instead of the original seven.[17][18]The first elections were due to take place in May 2011. However, by May 2010 disagreements among parties in the executive over district boundaries were expected to delay the reforms until 2015.[19]In June 2010 the proposed reforms were abandoned following the failure of the Northern Ireland Executive to reach agreement.[20][21]However, on 12 March 2012, theNorthern Ireland Executivepublished its programme for government, which included a commitment to reduce the number of councils in Northern Ireland to 11.[22]
See also
[edit]- List of districts in Northern Ireland by religion or religion brought up in
- List of districts in Northern Ireland by national identity
- Political make-up of local councils in Northern Ireland
- Local government in England
- Local government in Scotland
- Local government in Wales
- Local government in the Republic of Ireland
Tables relating to the old 26 council system
[edit]Notes
[edit]References
[edit]- ^"Mid-Year Population Estimates, UK, June 2022".Office for National Statistics.26 March 2024.Retrieved3 May2024.
- ^"Mid-Year Population Estimates, UK, June 2022".Office for National Statistics.26 March 2024.Retrieved3 May2024.
- ^"Mid-Year Population Estimates, UK, June 2022".Office for National Statistics.26 March 2024.Retrieved3 May2024.
- ^"Contact Us".Causeway Coast & Glens Borough Council.Retrieved19 March2018.
- ^Council MeetingsFermanagh and Omagh District Council
- ^"Contact".Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council.Retrieved19 March2018.
- ^"Schedule of Meetings"(PDF).Mid and East Antrim Borough Council. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 4 April 2016.Retrieved23 March2016.
- ^"Council Meetings 2016".Mid Ulster District Council. Archived fromthe originalon 19 March 2016.Retrieved23 March2016.
- ^"Report of the Review Body on Local Government in Northern Ireland 1970".CAIN Web Service – Conflict and Politics in Northern Ireland (University of Ulster).Her Majesty's Stationery Office. June 1970.Retrieved16 September2011.
- ^The Northern Ireland (Lieutenancy) Order 1975 (S.I. 1975 No.156)
- ^Campbell officially launches a new era in librariesNI-Libraries.net, 2 April 2009; Retrieved 23 July 2013Archived29 October 2013 at theWayback Machine
- ^"Education Authority".Education Authority NI.
- ^"Health and Social Board".Retrieved19 March2018.
- ^"Review of Public Administration".Northern Ireland Executive.Retrieved8 July2010.[dead link]
- ^"Major reform of local government".BBC News. 22 November 2005.Retrieved19 March2018.
- ^Revised Recommendations for new council boundaries unveiled(Press Release) Office of the Local Government Boundaries Commissioner, 30 March 2007Archived7 February 2012 at theWayback Machine
- ^"NI councils reduced from 26 to 11".BBC News. 13 March 2008.Retrieved19 March2018.
- ^Foster announces the future shape of local governmentNI Executive, 13 March 2008Archived25 July 2008 at theWayback Machine
- ^"Plan to cut Northern Ireland councils may be delayed until 2015".Belfast Telegraph.7 May 2010.Retrieved24 May2010.
- ^"The executive fails to agree a deal on council reform".BBC News. 15 June 2010.Retrieved8 July2010.
- ^"Local Government Association Incensed as Minister Stops the Reform Process".Northern Ireland Local Government Association. 15 June 2010. Archived fromthe originalon 17 February 2011.Retrieved8 July2010.
- ^"Priority 5: Delivering High Quality and Efficient Public Services; Key Commitments"(PDF).Programme for Government 2011–15.Office of the First Minister and deputy First Minister. 12 March 2012.Retrieved15 June2012.
External links
[edit]- Local councils in Northern IrelandNI Direct (Archived)
- NI Local Government Association
- Review of Public Administration NI
- Local Government Boundaries Commissioner for Northern Ireland(Archived)
- Local GovernmentDOE NI (Archived)
- Macrory ReportCAIN Web Service (University of Ulster)
- Local Government (Boundaries) Act (Northern Ireland) 1971CAIN Web Service (University of Ulster)
- Northern Ireland Councillor's HandbookLocal Government Staff Commission for Northern Ireland (Archived)
- Map of all UK local authoritiesOffice for National Statistics, 2009