10 November 2006
A heated row over the future of local government in Northern Ireland broke out after the composition of the seven proposed new Northern Ireland 'super-councils' was published by the Local Government Boundaries Commissioner.
The Democratic Unionists, the province's largest party, and putative leaders of the Stormont Assembly if it is reactivated, indicated they would prevent the recommendations being implemented.
The decision to create seven councils in place of the 26 existing district councils was taken by Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Hain, accepting one of the options recommended by the Review of Public Administration.
A final go-ahead is to be made in July by the Northern Ireland secretary or the Stormont Assembly, if it is operating. The Assembly is likely to either reject or amend the proposals, with the Democratic Unionists, the Ulster Unionists and the Social Democratic and Labour Party all opposed to the seven councils option.
DUP spokesman Simon Hamilton said that it had been agreed at the St Andrews summit with the British government that the results of the RPA would be reviewed by a functioning Assembly. 'There is a possibility that it would be radically altered in a post-devolution situation,' he said. 'We would be hopeful that the final decision will be taken by locally elected politicians.'
The proposals of boundaries commissioner Dick Mackenzie will now go out for public consultation.
Mackenzie said: 'The proposed boundaries are based on the amalgamation of the existing councils, with the exception of Belfast, for which I am recommending a more natural boundary for …the city area.'
How the new councils would look
The new Belfast Local Government District would consist of the Belfast City area and parts of Greater Belfast currently in Lisburn and Castlereagh councils
Inner East LGD would comprise Lisburn, Antrim, Carrickfergus and Newtownabbey
East LGD would contain Ards, parts of Castlereagh and Down
Armagh, Banbridge, Cragavon and Newry City become South LGD
Cookstown, Dungannon, Omagh and Fermanagh form West LGD
North West LGD brings together Derry, Strabane, Limavady and Magherafelt
North East LGD would be made up of Ballymena, Ballymoney, Coleraine, Larne and Moyle
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