Ards Borough Council
Encyclopedia
Ards is a local government district
in Northern Ireland
with the status of borough
. It is one of twenty-six districts formed on 1 October 1973, and has its headquarters in Newtownards
. Other towns include Portaferry
, Comber
, and Donaghadee
, and the population of the area is about 73,000.
Strangford Lough
is at the heart of the area, and is the largest inlet in Ireland
with internationally-renowned wildlife. The Irish Sea
coast stretches from Donaghadee to Portaferry. Mount Stewart
, a National Trust
property on the shore of Strangford Lough is in the area, as well as Northern Ireland’s only aquarium
, Exploris, in Portaferry and Grace Neill's
, holder of the Guinness Book of Records title of the oldest pub on Ireland
.
, from which 23 members are elected. As of February 2011 the following parties are represented on the council: 11 Democratic Unionist Party
(DUP), 6 Ulster Unionist Party
(UUP), 4 Alliance Party
, and 1 Social Democratic and Labour Party
(SDLP), and there are one Independent councillors. 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
of the municipal borough
of Newtownards, to become Ards Borough Council. The charter also granted the chairman of the council the title "Mayor of Ards".
Source: Freedom of Information
request to Ards Borough Council
most of the borough is included in the Strangford constituency, with part (Donaghadee North, Donaghadee South and Millisle) in the North Down constituency.
, USA. As a result of this relationship, regular exchange visits are made between the two communities by artists, educators, business, political, and community leaders.
Districts of 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...
with the status of borough
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...
. It is one of twenty-six districts formed on 1 October 1973, and has its headquarters in Newtownards
Newtownards
Newtownards is a large town in County Down, Northern Ireland. It lies at the most northern tip of Strangford Lough, 10 miles east of Belfast, on the Ards Peninsula. Newtownards is the largest town in the Borough of Ards. According to the 2001 Census, it has a population of 27,821 people in...
. Other towns include Portaferry
Portaferry
Portaferry is a small town in County Down, Northern Ireland, at the southern end of the Ards Peninsula, near the Narrows at the entrance to Strangford Lough. It had a population of 2,467 people in the 2001 Census. It has an aquarium and is well-known for the annual Galway Hookers Regatta. It hosts...
, Comber
Comber
Comber is a small town in County Down, Northern Ireland. It lies 5 miles south of Newtownards, at the northern end of Strangford Lough. It had a population of 8,933 people in the 2001 Census. Comber is part of the Borough of Ards...
, and Donaghadee
Donaghadee
Donaghadee is a small town in County Down, Northern Ireland. It lies on the northeast coast of the Ards Peninsula, about east of Belfast and about six miles south east of Bangor. It had a population of 6,470 people in the 2001 Census...
, and the population of the area is about 73,000.
Strangford Lough
Strangford Lough
Strangford Lough, sometimes Strangford Loch, is a large sea loch or inlet in County Down, Northern Ireland. It is separated from the Irish Sea by the Ards Peninsula. The name Strangford is derived ; describing the fast-flowing narrows at its mouth...
is at the heart of the area, and is the largest inlet in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
with internationally-renowned wildlife. The Irish Sea
Irish Sea
The Irish Sea separates the islands of Ireland and Great Britain. It is connected to the Celtic Sea in the south by St George's Channel, and to the Atlantic Ocean in the north by the North Channel. Anglesey is the largest island within the Irish Sea, followed by the Isle of Man...
coast stretches from Donaghadee to Portaferry. Mount Stewart
Mount Stewart
Mount Stewart is an 18th-century house and garden in County Down, Northern Ireland, owned by the National Trust. Situated on the east shore of Strangford Lough, a few miles outside the town of Newtownards and near Greyabbey, it was the home of the Vane-Tempest-Stewart family, Marquesses of...
, a National Trust
National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty
The National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty, usually known as the National Trust, is a conservation organisation in England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
property on the shore of Strangford Lough is in the area, as well as Northern Ireland’s only aquarium
Aquarium
An aquarium is a vivarium consisting of at least one transparent side in which water-dwelling plants or animals are kept. Fishkeepers use aquaria to keep fish, invertebrates, amphibians, marine mammals, turtles, and aquatic plants...
, Exploris, in Portaferry and Grace Neill's
Grace Neill's
Grace Neill's, in the town of Donaghadee, Northern Ireland claims to be the oldest licensed pub in Ireland, but that title is held by Sean's Bar in Athlone, which the Guinness World Records records as being founded in 900, pre-dating Grace Neill's by 700 years.The pub was opened in 1611 as the...
, holder of the Guinness Book of Records title of the oldest pub on Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
.
Borough council
The borough is governed by Ards Borough Council. The borough is divided into four district electoral areas: Newtownards, Ards West, Ards East and Ards PeninsulaArds Peninsula
The Ards Peninsula is a peninsula in County Down, Northern Ireland which separates Strangford Lough from the North Channel of the Irish Sea, on Ireland's northeast coast. A number of towns and villages are located on the peninsula, such as the seaside town of Donaghadee, with the surrounding area...
, from which 23 members are elected. As of February 2011 the following parties are represented on the council: 11 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), 6 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), 4 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....
, and 1 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 there are one Independent councillors. 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...
Mayor of Ards
On creation in 1973 Ards District Council adopted the charter of incorporationRoyal Charter
A royal charter is a formal document issued by a monarch as letters patent, granting a right or power to an individual or a body corporate. They were, and are still, used to establish significant organizations such as cities or universities. Charters should be distinguished from warrants and...
of the municipal borough
Municipal borough
Municipal boroughs were a type of local government district which existed in England and Wales between 1835 and 1974, in Northern Ireland from 1840 to 1973 and in the Republic of Ireland from 1840 to 2002...
of Newtownards, to become Ards Borough Council. The charter also granted the chairman of the council the title "Mayor of Ards".
| Year | Name | Political affiliation | Deputy | Deputy's affiliation |
|---|---|---|
| 1973 - 75 | John Algie |
D. Hamilton |
| 1975 - 77 | Henry Cosbey |
J. B. Caughey |
| 1977 - 79 | John Scott |
Hamilton McKeag |
| 1979 - 81 | Hamilton McKeag |
Robert Gaw |
| 1981 - 83 | Robert Gaw |
Jim McBriar |
| 1983 - 84 | Jim McBriar |
Oliver Johnston |
| 1984 - 85 | Oliver Johnston |
Gladys McIntyre |
| 1985 - 86 | Gladys McIntyre |
Robert Ambrose |
| 1986 - 87 | Robert Ambrose |
Simpson Gibson Simpson Gibson Hugh John Simpson Gibson is a unionist politician in Northern Ireland.Gibson studied at Saintfield Secondary School and Shaftesbury House Tutorial College, before working as a farmer and becoming a member of the Orange Order. He joined the Democratic Unionist Party and was elected to Ards... |
| 1987 - 88 | Simpson Gibson Simpson Gibson Hugh John Simpson Gibson is a unionist politician in Northern Ireland.Gibson studied at Saintfield Secondary School and Shaftesbury House Tutorial College, before working as a farmer and becoming a member of the Orange Order. He joined the Democratic Unionist Party and was elected to Ards... |
Tom Benson Tom Benson (politician) Tom Benson was a Unionist politician in Northern Ireland.Born in Enniskillen, Benson was an officer in the Royal Ulster Constabulary. He joined the Ulster Unionist Party and was elected to Ards Borough Council, serving as Mayor of Ards from 1987-88... |
| 1988 - 89 | Tom Benson Tom Benson (politician) Tom Benson was a Unionist politician in Northern Ireland.Born in Enniskillen, Benson was an officer in the Royal Ulster Constabulary. He joined the Ulster Unionist Party and was elected to Ards Borough Council, serving as Mayor of Ards from 1987-88... |
John Hamilton |
| 1989–1990 | John Hamilton |
Robert Gibson |
| 1990 - 91 | Robert Gibson |
Jim Shannon Jim Shannon Richard James Shannon is a unionist politician from Northern Ireland.-Early life:Shannon was educated at Ballywalter Primary School and Coleraine Academical Institution. He was in the Ulster Defence Regiment in 1973-75 and 1976–77 and was awarded the General Service Medal. He served in the Royal... |
| 1991 - 92 | Jim Shannon Jim Shannon Richard James Shannon is a unionist politician from Northern Ireland.-Early life:Shannon was educated at Ballywalter Primary School and Coleraine Academical Institution. He was in the Ulster Defence Regiment in 1973-75 and 1976–77 and was awarded the General Service Medal. He served in the Royal... |
David Smyth |
| 1992 - 93 | David Smyth |
Wilbert Magill |
| 1993 - 94 | Wilbert Magill |
John Shields |
| 1994 - 95 | John Shields |
St Clair McAlister St Clair McAlister St Clair McAlister is a former Unionist politician in Northern Ireland.McAlister was elected to the Northern Ireland Forum in 1996 as a Democratic Unionist Party representative for North Down.... |
| 1995 - 96 | St Clair McAlister St Clair McAlister St Clair McAlister is a former Unionist politician in Northern Ireland.McAlister was elected to the Northern Ireland Forum in 1996 as a Democratic Unionist Party representative for North Down.... |
Robert Gibson |
| June - December 1996 | Robert Gibson |
Ronnie Ferguson |
| January - June 1998 | Ronnie Ferguson |
George Ennis George Ennis Alderman George Ennis is a Unionist politician in Northern Ireland.He is a former Democratic Unionist Party politician first elected to Ards in 1993 and was Mayor of Ards in 1998-1999.... |
| June 1998 - June 1999 | George Ennis George Ennis Alderman George Ennis is a Unionist politician in Northern Ireland.He is a former Democratic Unionist Party politician first elected to Ards in 1993 and was Mayor of Ards in 1998-1999.... |
Alan McDowell |
| 1999–2000 | Alan McDowell |
Tom Hamilton Tom Hamilton (politician) Tom Hamilton is a Unionist politician in Northern Ireland.Born in Belfast, Hamilton studied at the Methodist College, Belfast, then at Stranmillis College. He became a teacher and in 1993 was elected to Ards Borough Council as an Ulster Unionist Party member... |
| 2000 - 01 | Tom Hamilton Tom Hamilton (politician) Tom Hamilton is a Unionist politician in Northern Ireland.Born in Belfast, Hamilton studied at the Methodist College, Belfast, then at Stranmillis College. He became a teacher and in 1993 was elected to Ards Borough Council as an Ulster Unionist Party member... |
Margaret Craig |
| 2001 - 02 | Margaret Craig |
Jeff Magill |
| 2002 - 03 | Jeff Magill |
Jim McBriar |
| 2003 - 04 | Jim McBriar |
Hamilton Gregory |
| 2004 - 05 | Hamilton Gregory |
Angus Carson |
| 2005 - 06 | Terry Williams |
Angus Carson |
| 2006 - 07 | Angus Carson |
Robin Drysdale |
| 2007 - 08 | Robin Drysdale |
Jim Fletcher |
| 2008 - 09 | Jim Fletcher |
William Montgomery |
| 2009 - 10 | William Montgomery |
David Smyth |
| 2010 - 11 | David Smyth |
Mervyn Oswald |
Source: Freedom of Information
Freedom of Information Act 2000
The Freedom of Information Act 2000 is an Act of Parliament of the Parliament of the United Kingdom that creates a public "right of access" to information held by public authorities. It is the implementation of freedom of information legislation in the United Kingdom on a national level...
request to Ards Borough Council
Parliamentary and assembly representation
In elections for the Westminster Parliament and Northern Ireland AssemblyNorthern 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...
most of the borough is included in the Strangford constituency, with part (Donaghadee North, Donaghadee South and Millisle) in the North Down constituency.
Town twinning
The borough of Ards has a sister city (twinning) relationship with the city of Peoria, ArizonaPeoria, Arizona
Peoria is a city in Maricopa and Yavapai counties in the U.S. state of Arizona. Located primarily in Maricopa County, it is a major suburb of Phoenix. According to 2010 Census Bureau releases, the population of the city is 154,065. Peoria is currently the sixth largest city in Arizona for land...
, USA. As a result of this relationship, regular exchange visits are made between the two communities by artists, educators, business, political, and community leaders.