Limavady Borough Council
Encyclopedia
Limavady Borough Council is a Local Council in County Londonderry
in Northern Ireland
. Its headquarters is in the town of Limavady
. The Borough has a population of over 32,000 with 63% of the population living in a rural setting. It covers an area of 586 square kilometres and includes the valley of the River Roe
. It stretches from the Sperrin Mountains in the south to Benone
beach, a seven mile strand on the Atlantic coast which was the first beach in Northern Ireland to be awarded a Blue Flag
. Apart from Limavady other towns in the area include Dungiven
and Ballykelly.
The Limavady Borough Council area consists of three electoral areas: Limavady Town, Benbradagh and Bellarena. The Council was established in 1973 and is made up of 15 members who are elected for a four year term using a single transferable vote
system.
Together with the neighbouring district of Coleraine
, it forms the East Londonderry
constituency for elections to the Westminster Parliament and Northern Ireland Assembly
.
At the last election in 2005 members from the following political parties were elected: 6 Sinn Féin
, 3 Social Democratic and Labour Party
(SDLP), 2 Democratic Unionist Party
(DUP), 2 Ulster Unionist Party
(UUP) and 2 United Unionist Coalition
(UUC). The posts of Mayor and Deputy Mayor are rotated annually among the political representatives of the two main traditions within the community as part of the partnership process operated by the Council. The current Mayor is Councillor Michael Carten (SDLP) and the Deputy Mayor is Councillor Boyd Douglas (UUC).
and Ballymoney Borough Council
and Moyle District Council
in 2011 to form Causeway Coast and Glens District Council, a single council for the enlarged area totalling 1796 km² and a population of 131,564. The next election was due to take place in May 2009, but on 25 April 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.
County Londonderry
The place name Derry is an anglicisation of the old Irish Daire meaning oak-grove or oak-wood. As with the city, its name is subject to the Derry/Londonderry name dispute, with the form Derry preferred by nationalists and Londonderry preferred by unionists...
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...
. Its headquarters is in the town of Limavady
Limavady
Limavady is a market town in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland, with Binevenagh as a backdrop. It lies east of Derry and south west of Coleraine. It had a population of 12,135 people in the 2001 Census, an increase of some 17% compared to 1991...
. The Borough has a population of over 32,000 with 63% of the population living in a rural setting. It covers an area of 586 square kilometres and includes the valley of the River Roe
River Roe (Northern Ireland)
The River Roe flows north from Glenshane in the Sperrin Mountains to Lough Foyle, via the settlements of Dungiven, Burnfoot, Limavady and Myroe. The river is contained within County Londonderry in Northern Ireland.- Etymology :...
. It stretches from the Sperrin Mountains in the south to Benone
Benone
Benone is a popular tourist destination in the Limavady district, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland.Benone has several caravan sites, such as The Golden Sands,Deigans and a leisure complex with excellent facilities, including a 9 hole par 3 golf course and numerous tennis courts...
beach, a seven mile strand on the Atlantic coast which was the first beach in Northern Ireland to be awarded a Blue Flag
Blue Flag beach
The Blue Flag is a certification by the Foundation for Environmental Education that a beach or marina meets its stringent standards.The Blue Flag is a trademark owned by FEE which is a not-for-profit, non-governmental organisation consisting of 65 organisations in 60 member countries in Europe,...
. Apart from Limavady other towns in the area include Dungiven
Dungiven
Dungiven is a small town and townland in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It is on the main A6 Belfast to Derry road. It lies where the rivers Roe, Owenreagh and Owenbeg meet at the foot of the Benbradagh. Nearby is the Glenshane Pass, where the road rises to over...
and Ballykelly.
The Limavady Borough Council area consists of three electoral areas: Limavady Town, Benbradagh and Bellarena. The Council was established in 1973 and is made up of 15 members who are elected for a four year term using a single transferable vote
Single transferable vote
The single transferable vote is a voting system designed to achieve proportional representation through preferential voting. Under STV, an elector's vote is initially allocated to his or her most preferred candidate, and then, after candidates have been either elected or eliminated, any surplus or...
system.
Together with the neighbouring district of Coleraine
Coleraine Borough Council
Coleraine Borough Council is a local council mainly in County Londonderry and partly in County Antrim in Northern Ireland. Its headquarters are in the town of Coleraine. Small towns in the area include Garvagh, Portrush, Portstewart and Kilrea...
, it forms the East Londonderry
East Londonderry (UK Parliament constituency)
East Londonderry is a Parliamentary Constituency in the United Kingdom House of Commons.-Boundaries:The seat was created in boundary changes in 1983, as part of an expansion of Northern Ireland's constituencies from 12 to 17, and was predominantly made up from the old Londonderry constituency...
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...
.
At the last election in 2005 members from the following political parties were elected: 6 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 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), 2 Democratic Unionist Party
Democratic 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), 2 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) and 2 United Unionist Coalition
United Unionist Coalition
The United Unionist Coalition, formerly known as the United Unionist Assembly Party, was formed by three unionist members of the Northern Ireland Assembly who were elected as "independent unionists" in 1998. They were Fraser Agnew, Boyd Douglas and Denis Watson...
(UUC). The posts of Mayor and Deputy Mayor are rotated annually among the political representatives of the two main traditions within the community as part of the partnership process operated by the Council. The current Mayor is Councillor Michael Carten (SDLP) and the Deputy Mayor is Councillor Boyd Douglas (UUC).
2005 Election results
| Party | seats | change +/- | |
|---|---|---|---|
| • | 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... |
6 | +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... |
3 | -1 |
| • | Democratic Unionist Party Democratic 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... |
3 | +1 |
| • | 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... |
2 | -1 |
| • | Independent Independent (politician) In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do... |
1 | -1 |
Review of Public Administration
Under the Review of Public Administration (RPA) the Council is due to merge with Coleraine Borough CouncilColeraine Borough Council
Coleraine Borough Council is a local council mainly in County Londonderry and partly in County Antrim in Northern Ireland. Its headquarters are in the town of Coleraine. Small towns in the area include Garvagh, Portrush, Portstewart and Kilrea...
and Ballymoney Borough Council
Ballymoney Borough Council
Ballymoney is a local government district with borough status in Northern Ireland. It is headquartered in Ballymoney. Other towns in the borough include Dervock, Dunloy, Cloughmills and Rasharkin. The borough has a population of nearly 27,000.-Creation:...
and Moyle District Council
Moyle District Council
Moyle District Council is a Local Council in County Antrim in the north-east corner of Northern Ireland. It covers a largely rural area of approximately 190 square miles and has a population of 15,000...
in 2011 to form Causeway Coast and Glens District Council, a single council for the enlarged area totalling 1796 km² and a population of 131,564. The next election was due to take place in May 2009, but on 25 April 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.