Antrim Borough Council
Encyclopedia
Antrim is a local government district
in Northern Ireland
. It is one of twenty-six districts created in 1973, and was granted borough status
on 9 May 1977. The borough covers an area of some 220 square miles (569.8 km²) with a population of nearly 50,000. It is situated about 19 miles (30.6 km) north-west of Belfast
. It borders the north and east shores of Lough Neagh
, the largest fresh water lake in the United Kingdom
, and includes the towns of Antrim, Toomebridge, Crumlin
, Randalstown
, Parkgate
and Templepatrick
. The council headquarters are located on the outskirts of Antrim town. Although the borough is not within the Belfast Metropolitan Area, it houses the city's international airport and many commuter villages.
(DUP), 5 Ulster Unionist Party
(UUP), 3 Sinn Féin
, 3 Alliance Party
, 2 Social Democratic and Labour Party
(SDLP)and 1 Traditional Unionist Voice
. An election is held every four years using the proportional representation
system. The next election was due to take place in May 2009, but on April 25, 2008, Shaun Woodward
, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
announced that the scheduled 2009 district council elections were to be postponed until the introduction of the eleven new councils in 2011. The proposed reforms were abandoned in 2010, and the next district council elections will take place in 2011
A mayor and deputy mayor are elected from among the councillors at the borough council's annual meeting in June. For the civic year 2010/11 the Mayor of Antrim is Pam Lewis (DUP) and the Deputy Mayor is Alan Lawther (Alliance).
and all parts of the region. Antrim Town lies on two of the main transport corridors, the Belfast – Derry
corridor and the Southern corridor. Belfast International Airport
is located within the borough, only 4 miles (6.4 km) from Antrim town.
, it forms the South Antrim constituency for elections to the Westminster Parliament and Northern Ireland Assembly
.
Local government in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is divided into 26 districts for local government purposes. In Northern Ireland local councils do not carry out the same range of functions as those in the rest of the United Kingdom, for example they have no responsibility for education, for road building or for housing...
in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
. It is one of twenty-six districts created in 1973, and was granted borough status
Borough status in the United Kingdom
Borough status in the United Kingdom is granted by royal charter to local government districts in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The status is purely honorary, and does not give any additional powers to the council or inhabitants of the district...
on 9 May 1977. The borough covers an area of some 220 square miles (569.8 km²) with a population of nearly 50,000. It is situated about 19 miles (30.6 km) north-west of Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
. It borders the north and east shores of Lough Neagh
Lough Neagh
Lough Neagh, sometimes Loch Neagh, is a large freshwater lake in Northern Ireland. Its name comes .-Geography:With an area of , it is the largest lake in the British Isles and ranks among the forty largest lakes of Europe. Located twenty miles to the west of Belfast, it is approximately twenty...
, the largest fresh water lake in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, and includes the towns of Antrim, Toomebridge, Crumlin
Crumlin, County Antrim
Crumlin is a village in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is at the head of a wooded glen on the Camlin River, near Lough Neagh, and west of Belfast city centre. It had a population of over 4,259 people in the 2001 Census...
, Randalstown
Randalstown
Randalstown is a small town in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, located between the towns of Antrim and Toome. It had a population of 4,956 people in the 2001 Census. It has a very prominent disused railway viaduct and lies beside Lough Neagh and the Shane's Castle estate...
, Parkgate
Parkgate, County Antrim
Parkgate is a small village in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It lies at the foot of Donegore Hill, near the Six Mile Water. It is about mid-way between Ballyclare and Antrim town. It had a population of 646 people in the 2001 Census...
and Templepatrick
Templepatrick
Templepatrick is a village in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is northwest of Belfast, and halfway between the towns of Ballyclare and Antrim. It had a population of 1,556 in the 2001 Census. It is also close to Belfast International Airport and the village has several hotels...
. The council headquarters are located on the outskirts of Antrim town. Although the borough is not within the Belfast Metropolitan Area, it houses the city's international airport and many commuter villages.
Borough council
The borough is sub-divided into three electoral areas: Antrim South-East, Antrim North-West and Antrim Town, from which 19 members were elected. As of February 2011, the following political parties are represented: 5 Democratic Unionist PartyDemocratic Unionist Party
The Democratic Unionist Party is the larger of the two main unionist political parties in Northern Ireland. Founded by Ian Paisley and currently led by Peter Robinson, it is currently the largest party in the Northern Ireland Assembly and the fourth-largest party in the House of Commons of the...
(DUP), 5 Ulster Unionist Party
Ulster Unionist Party
The Ulster Unionist Party – sometimes referred to as the Official Unionist Party or, in a historic sense, simply the Unionist Party – is the more moderate of the two main unionist political parties in Northern Ireland...
(UUP), 3 Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970...
, 3 Alliance Party
Alliance Party of Northern Ireland
The Alliance Party of Northern Ireland is a liberal and nonsectarian political party in Northern Ireland. It is Northern Ireland's fifth-largest party overall, with eight seats in the Northern Ireland Assembly and one in the House of Commons....
, 2 Social Democratic and Labour Party
Social Democratic and Labour Party
The Social Democratic and Labour Party is a social-democratic, Irish nationalist political party in Northern Ireland. Its basic party platform advocates Irish reunification, and the further devolution of powers while Northern Ireland remains part of the United Kingdom...
(SDLP)and 1 Traditional Unionist Voice
Traditional Unionist Voice
Traditional Unionist Voice is a unionist political party in Northern Ireland founded on 7 December 2007, as an anti-St Andrews Agreement splinter group from the Democratic Unionist Party . Its first and current leader is Jim Allister who, until 2009, sat as an independent Member of the European...
. An election is held every four years using the proportional representation
Proportional representation
Proportional representation is a concept in voting systems used to elect an assembly or council. PR means that the number of seats won by a party or group of candidates is proportionate to the number of votes received. For example, under a PR voting system if 30% of voters support a particular...
system. The next election was due to take place in May 2009, but on April 25, 2008, Shaun Woodward
Shaun Woodward
Shaun Anthony Woodward is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for St Helens South since 2001. He served in the Cabinet from 28 June 2007 to 11 May 2010 as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland...
, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, informally the Northern Ireland Secretary, is the principal secretary of state in the government of the United Kingdom with responsibilities for Northern Ireland. The Secretary of State is a Minister of the Crown who is accountable to the Parliament of...
announced that the scheduled 2009 district council elections were to be postponed until the introduction of the eleven new councils in 2011. The proposed reforms were abandoned in 2010, and the next district council elections will take place in 2011
Northern Ireland local elections, 2011
The most recent Northern Ireland local government elections took place on Thursday 5 May 2011.European Union and Commonwealth citizens who were aged 18 or over on election day were entitled to vote...
A mayor and deputy mayor are elected from among the councillors at the borough council's annual meeting in June. For the civic year 2010/11 the Mayor of Antrim is Pam Lewis (DUP) and the Deputy Mayor is Alan Lawther (Alliance).
Economy
The economy of the area revolves around construction, distribution, transport and hospitality. It has a well-developed transport infrastructure that provides easy access to all the main external gateways for Northern IrelandNorthern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
and all parts of the region. Antrim Town lies on two of the main transport corridors, the Belfast – Derry
Derry
Derry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...
corridor and the Southern corridor. Belfast International Airport
Belfast International Airport
Belfast International Airport is a major airport located northwest of Belfast in Northern Ireland. It was formerly known and is still referred to as Aldergrove Airport, after the village of the same name lying immediately to the west of the airport. Belfast International shares its runways with...
is located within the borough, only 4 miles (6.4 km) from Antrim town.
Parliamentary representation
Together with part of the district of NewtownabbeyNewtownabbey
Newtownabbey is a large town north of Belfast in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. Sometimes considered to be a suburb of Belfast, it is separated from the rest of the city by Cavehill and Fortwilliam golf course...
, it forms the South Antrim constituency for elections to the Westminster Parliament and Northern Ireland Assembly
Northern Ireland Assembly
The Northern Ireland Assembly is the devolved legislature of Northern Ireland. It has power to legislate in a wide range of areas that are not explicitly reserved to the Parliament of the United Kingdom, and to appoint the Northern Ireland Executive...
.