Seven new 'super-councils' revealed

The names of the seven new “super-councils” and boundaries have today been unveiled.

Local Government Boundaries Commissioner Dick Mackenzie, has revealed plans for the seven council areas which will replace the existing 26.

The new amalgamated council areas will now be called Inner East; East; South; West; North West; North East and Belfast Local Government Districts.

The seven “super-councils” wil be composed of:

• Belfast Local Government District, incorporating the current Belfast City Council, parts of Lisburn, North Down and Castlereagh
• Inner East Local Government District, incorporating Antrim, Carrickfergus, Newtownabbey Councils and the remainder of Lisburn City Council
• East Local Government District, comprising Ards, Down, parts of North Down and Castlereagh Councils
• South Local Government District, made up of Armagh, Banbridge, Craigavon and Newry and Mourne
• West Local Government District, incorporating Cookstown, Dungannon and South Tyrone, Fermanagh and Omagh
• North West Local Government District, comprising Derry, Limavady, Magherafelt and Strabane and part of Coleraine
• North East Local Government District, made up of Ballymena, Ballymoney, Larne, Moyle and a major part of Coleraine

Last year, Northern Ireland Secretary of State Peter Hain announced plans to reduce the number of local councils by 2009 under the British government's Review of Public Administration.

The seven new “super-councils”, could each be allowed between 50 and 60 councillors, however Belfast, will have a maximum total of 60.

The dual mandate, which currently allows people to work as both MLAs and councillors, is also to be removed – affecting around 69 out of the 108 Assembly members.

(EF)