Banbridge District Council

Infobox Northern Ireland district
district_name = Banbridge District
alt_name = Comhairle Ceantair Dhroichead na Banna
district_

area_rank = 15th
district_area = 453
district_HQ = Banbridge
district_iso = GB-BNB
district_ons = 95Q
protestant_pc = 66.0%
catholic_pc = 31.5%
web_address = http://www.banbridgedc.gov.uk/
district_MPs = Jeffrey Donaldson
Eddie McGrady
David Simpson

Banbridge District Council is a local council in counties Down and Armagh in Northern Ireland. The Headquarters of the Council is in the town of Banbridge. The Council area is to the north-west of County Down and covers an area of convert|175|sqmi|km2 of countryside - from Slieve Croob (1,775 ft) in the east to the River Bann valley in the west. It is also the main gateway to the Mourne Mountains, which lie to the south and is bisected by the A1 route between Belfast and Dublin. The other main small towns in the area include Rathfriland,Gilford, Scarva, Loughbrickland and Dromore. The population of the area is just over 42,000. [ [http://www.districtpolicing.com/banbridge.html overview of Banbridge district.] ]

The district consists of three electoral areas: Banbridge, Knockiveagh and Dromore. Notably, it was the only council controlled by one party (the UUP) from its creation in 1973 until the year 2000 [ [http://www.ark.ac.uk/elections Banbridge election results.] ] when the DUP gained a seat in a by-election in Dromore. [ [http://www.ark.ac.uk/elections/lgbanbridgefull.htm Dromore 2000 by-election result] ]

In the last elections in 2005 17 members were elected. The current composition of the council is: 6 Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), 5 Ulster Unionist Party (UUP), 3 Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP), 1 Alliance Party, 1 Sinn Féin In 2005-2006, the Council Chairman is Councillor Norah Beare (DUP) and the Vice Chairman is Councillor Ian Burns (UUP).

In elections for the Westminster Parliament it is split between the Upper Bann, the Lagan Valley and the South Down constituencies.

Dromore By election, 2008

In late 2007 UUP Councillor Tyrone Howe resigned due to work commitments [ [http://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/Rugby-star-gives-up-his.3524970.jp Rugby star gives up his council seat - Belfast Today ] ] . The resulting by election was the first electoral test for Traditional Unionist Voice [ [http://www.dromoreleader.co.uk/12345/TUV39S-HARBINSON-PLEDGES-TO-DO.3721137.jp Tuv'S Harbinson Pledges To Do His Best For Locals - Dromore Today ] ] . Against expectations [ [http://www.newsletter.co.uk/politics/No-love-lost-in-Valentine.3776633.jp No love lost in Valentine poll - Belfast Today ] ] , the UUP held the seat [ [http://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/UUP-take-Dromore-council-seat.3781211.jp UUP take Dromore council seat - Belfast Today ] ] .

Review of Public Administration

Under the Review of Public Administration (RPA) the Council is due to merge with Armagh City and District Council and Craigavon Borough Council in 2011, to form the "Armagh City and Bann District Council", to form a single council for the enlarged area totalling 1502 km² and a population of 176,326. [cite web | title=Minister Foster announces decisions on Local Government Reform | work=DoE | url=http://www.doeni.gov.uk/index/local_government/minister_foster_announces_decisions_on_local_government_reform.htm | accessdate=2008-05-31] 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. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/7367253.stm "Northern Ireland elections are postponed", BBC News, April 25, 2008, accessed April 27, 2008] ]

References

ee also

* Local Councils in Northern Ireland