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The 'Local Government (Boundaries) Act (Northern Ireland) 1971' was an Act of the Parliament of Northern Ireland, passed in 1971 to replace the previous system of local authorities established by the Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898. The system was based on the recommendations of the Macrory Report, of June 1970, which presupposed the continued existence of the Government of Northern Ireland to act as a regional-level authority.
Northern Ireland was to be divided into twenty-six local government districts, each consisting of a number of wards. The Act did not define the Districts exactly, but provided a list of 26 existing local government areas which would form the basis of the pattern. It then gave the Governor of Northern Ireland the power to appoint a Local Government Boundaries Commissioner who was to report with proposed names and boundaries not later than June 30 1972.
The Commissioner's proposals were put into effect by the Local Government (Boundaries) Order (Northern Ireland) 1972, dated July 17 1972.^[1]
The 1971 Act created districts, but did not make provision for councils to govern them. This was done by the Local Government Act (Northern Ireland) 1972. The councils created by the latter Act came into existence on October 1, 1973.

Contents

Local Government Districts and Wards

Changes and repeal

External links

References

Local Government Districts and Wards

The following list shows the original names of the twenty-six local government districts. A number have since changed their name or gained borough or city status under the Local Government Act (Northern Ireland) 1972. Also shown are the wards into which each local government district was divided. In the 1972 local government Act it stated "It shall be taken that each ward shall return one member to the council of the district in which it is situated", however by the time the first elections were held on May 30 1973, a system of proportional representation using multi-member district electoral areas had been introduced. The electoral areas consisted of groupings of between four and eight wards, with a number of councillors being elected for each area equal to the number of wards. The wards were subsequently used as building blocks for other units such as constituencies, and census statistics have been compiled for them.

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#Antrim #Ards #Armagh #Ballymena #Ballymoney #Banbridge #Belfast #Carrickfergus #Castlereagh #Coleraine #Cookstown #Craigavon #Londonderry

Down Dungannon Fermanagh Larne Limavady Lisburn Magherafelt Moyle Newry and Mourne Newtownabbey North Down Omagh Strabane

Existing area named in Act	District Name	No. of Wards	Names of Wards
Antrim urban district electoral division	Antrim	15	Aldergrove, Balloo, Ballycraigy, Ballyrobin, Cranfield, Crumlin, Drumanaway, Massereene, Parkgate, Parkhall, Randalstown, Stiles, Tardree, Templepatrick, Toome
Armagh urban district	Armagh	20	Ballymartrim, Carrigatuke, Charlemont, Demesne, Derrynoose, Downs, Hockley, Keady, Killeen, Killylea, Laurelvale, Lisanally, Loughgall, Lurgyvallen, The Mall, Markethill, Milford, Poyntz Pass, Richhill, Tandragee
Ballycastle urban district	Moyle	16	Armoy, Ballintoy, Ballylough, Bushmills, Carnmoon, Dalriada, Dunseverick, Glenaan, Glenariff, Glendun, Glenshesk, Kinbane, Knocklayd, Moss-side, Quay, Rathlin
Ballymena borough	Ballymena	21	Ahoghill, Ballee, Ballykeel, Ballyloughan, Broughshane, Galgorm, Castle Demesne, Craigywarren, Cullybackey, Dunclug, Dunminning, Fair Green, Glenravel, Glenwhirry, Grange, Harryville, Kells, Park, Portglenone, Slemish, Waveney
Ballymoney urban district	Ballymoney	16	Ballyhoe and Corkey, Benvardin, Castlequarter, Clogh Mills, Dervock, Dunloy, Fairhill, The Hills, Killoquin Lower, Killoquin Upper, Kilraghts, Newhill, Seacon, Stranocum, Town Parks, The Vow
Banbridge urban district	Banbridge	15	Annaclone, Ballydown, Ballyoolymore, Central, Croob, Dromore, Drumadonnell, Edenderry, Garran, Gilford, Lawrencetown, Loughbrickland, Quilly, Seapatrick, Skeagh
Bangor borough	North Down	20	Ballyholme, Ballymagee, Bangor Castle, Bangor Harbour, Bryansburn, Churchill, Clandeboye, Conlig, Craigavad, Crawfordsburn, Cultra, Groomsport, Holywood Demesne, Holywood Priory, Loughview, Princetown, Rathgael, Silverstream, Springhill, Whitehill
Belfast county borough	Belfast	51	Andersonstown, Ardoyne, Ballygomartin, Ballyhackamore, Ballymacarret, Ballynafeigh, Ballysillan, Bellevue, Belmont, Bloomfield, Cavehill, Castleview, Central, Cliftonville, Clonard, Court, Cromac, Crumlin, Donegall, Duncairn, Falls, Finaghy, Fortwilliam, Grosvenor, Grove, Highfield, Island, Ladybrook, Legoniel, Malone, Milltown, The Mount, New Lodge, North Howard, Orangefield, Ormeau, Rosetta, St. George's, St. James, Shandon, Shankill, Stormont, Stranmillis, Suffolk, Sydenham, University, Upper Malone, Whiterock, Willowfield, Windsor, Woodvale
Carrickfergus borough	Carrickfergus	15	Blackhead, Boneybefore, Castle, Clipperstown, Eden, Knockagh, Love Lane, Lower Greenisland, Middle Greenisland, Northland, Sunnylands, Trooperslane, Victoria, Whitehead, Woodburn
Castlereagh district electoral division	Castlereagh	19	Ballyhanwood, Beechill, Carrowreagh, Cregagh, Carryduff, Downshire, Dundonald, Enler, Four Winds, Gilnahirk, Hillfoot, Lisnasharragh, Lower Braniel, Minnowburn, Moneyreagh, Newtownbreda, Tullycarnet, Upper Braniel, Wynchurch
Coleraine borough	Coleraine	20	Agivey, Ballywillin, Castlerock, Central, Churchland, Cross Glebe, The Cuts, Dhu Varren, Dunluce, Garvagh, Kilrea, Knockantern, Macosquin, Mount Sandel, Portrush, Portstewart, Ringsend, Strand, University, Waterside
Cookstown urban district	Cookstown	15	Ardboe, Coagh, Dunamore, Gortalowry, Killycoply, Lissan, The Loop, Moneymore, Newbuildings, Oaklands, Old Town, Pomeroy, Sandholes, Stewartstown, Tullagh
Craigavon urban district†	Craigavon	25	Aghagallon, Annagh, Bachelors Walk, Belle Vue, The Birches, Bleary, Breagh, Brownlow, Brownstown, Church, Court, Edgarstown, Hartfield, Kernan, Killycomain, Kinnegoe, Knocknashane, Magheralin, Mourneview, Parklake, Taghnevan, Tavanagh, Waringstown, Woodside, Woodville
Downpatrick urban district	Down	20	Ardglass, Audley's Acre, Ballymaglave, Castlewellan, Cathedral, Crossgar, Derryboy, Donard, Dundrum, Dunmore, Killough, Killyleagh, Kilmore, Market, Quoile, Saintfield, Seaforde, Shimna, Strangford, Tollymore
Dungannon urban district	Dungannon	20	Altmore, Augher, Aughnacloy, Ballygawley, Benburb, Caledon, Castlecaulfield, Clogher, Coalisland North, Coalisland South, Donaghmore, Drumglass, Fivemiletown, Killymaddy, Killyman, Killymeal, Lisnahull, Moy, Moygashel, Washing Bay
Enniskillen borough	Fermanagh	20	Ballinamallard, Belcoo and Belmore, Belleek and Boa, Brookeborough, Castlecoole, Derrygonnelly, Derrylin, Devenish, Erne, Florencecourt and Kinawley, Garrison, Irvinestown, Kesh Ederny and Lack, Lisbellaw, Lisnaskea, Maguire's Bridge, Newtownbutler, Rosslea, Rossorry, Tempo
Larne borough	Larne	15	Antiville, Ballycarry, Ballyloran, Blackcave, Carncastle, Carnlough, Central, Craigy Hill, Gardenmore, Glenarm, Glynn, Harbour, Island Magee, Kilwaughter, Town Parks
Limavady urban district	Limavady	15	Aghanloo, Binevenagh, Coolessan, Dungiven, Feeny, Forest, Glack, Gresteel, The Highlands, Magilligan, Myroe, Rathbrady, Roeside, Upper Glenshane, Walworth
Lisburn borough	Lisburn	23	Ballymacbrennan, Blaris, Collin, Derryaghy, Dromara, Drumbo, Dunmurry, Glenavy, Hilden, Hillhall, Hillsborough, Knockmore, Lagan Valley, Lambeg, Lisnagarvey, Magheragall, Magheralave, Maze, Moira, Old Warren, Seymour Hill, Tonagh, Tullyrusk
Londonderry county borough	Londonderry	27	Altnagelvin, Banagher, Beechwood, Brandywell, Caw, Claudy, Clondermot, Creggan Central, Creggan South, Crevagh, Culmore, The Diamond, Ebrington, Eglinton, Enagh, Faughan, Pennyburn, Prehen, Riverside, Rosemount, St. Columb's, Shantallow, Springtown, Strand, Victoria, Waterloo, Wells, Westland
Magherafelt district electoral division	Magherafelt	15	Ballymaguigan, Bellaghy, Castledawson, Draperstown, Gulladuff, Knockloughrim, Lecumpher, Lower Glenshane, Maghera, Swatragh, Tobermore, Town Parks East, Town Parks West, Upperlands, Valley
Newry urban district	Newry and Mourne	30	Annalong, Ballybot, Ballycrossan, Belleek, Bessbrook, Binnian, Camlough, Clonallan, Cranfield, Creggan, Crossmaglen, Daisy Hill, Derrymore, Donaghmore, Drumalane, Drumgath, Drumgullion, Fathom, Forkhill, Kilkeel, Lisnacree, Mourne, Newtownhamilton, Rathfriland, Rostrevor, St. Mary's, St. Patrick's, Seaview, Spelga, Tullyhappy, Windsor Hill
Newtownabbey urban district	Newtownabbey	21	Ballyclare, Ballyeaston, Ballyhenry, Ballynure, Bradan, Carnmoney, Cloughfern, Coole, Doagh, Dunanney, Glengormley, Hopefield, Jordanstown, Mallusk, Monkstown, Mossgrove, Mossley, Rostulla, Whiteabbey, Whitehouse, Whitewell
Newtownards borough	Ards	17	Ballyhalbert, Ballygowan, Carrowdore, Central, Comber North, Comber South, Donaghadee North, Donaghadee South, Glen, Greyabbey, Killinchy, Kircubbin, Loughries, Movilla, Portaferry, Scrabo, Ulsterville
Omagh urban district	Omagh	20	Beragh, Carrickmore, Clanabogan, Dergmoney, Dromore, Drumquin, Drumnakilly, Drumragh, East, Fairgreen, Fairy Water, Fintona, Gortin, Killyclogher, Newtownsaville, Owenglen, Sixmilecross, Strule, Trillick, West
Strabane urban district	Strabane	20	Artigarvan, Castlederg, Clare, Dunnamanagh, East, Finn, Glenderg, Newtownstewart, North, Plumbridge, Sion Mills, Slievekirk, South, Victoria Bridge, West

† Although Craigavon urban district is listed in Schedule 1 of the Act, no such local government area existed. It appears to refer to the designated area of Craigavon New Town, which included the municipal boroughs of Lurgan and Portadown.

Changes and repeal

The areas established by the Act were reviewed on a number of occasions: in 1985 the number of wards was increased from 524 to 562. In 1993 the number of wards was again increased to 582, and in 1993 the ward of Rathfriland was transferred from Newry and Mourne to Banbridge district. There were also minor boundary changes, such as the transfer of rural parts of Legoniel from Belfast to Antrim in 1985.
In 1984 the name of Londonderry District was changed to Derry, and in 1999 Dungannon District was renamed Dungannon and South Tyrone.
The Act is to be repealed by The Local Government (Boundaries) (Northern Ireland) Order 2006^[2], which will reduce the number of local government districts to seven, and divide each district into between 55 and 65 wards.

External links

★ Local Government (Boundaries) Act (Northern Ireland) 1971 from CAIN Web Service

References

1. Belfast Gazette, issue no.2800, July 28, 1972
2. The Local Government (Boundaries) (Northern Ireland) Order 2006