Carrickfergus Borough Council
Encyclopedia
Carrickfergus Borough Council is a district council in County Antrim
in Northern Ireland
. The council headquarters are in Carrickfergus
and the council administers the town, on the north shore of Belfast Lough
, and surrounding area, which extends from Greenisland
in the south-west to Whitehead in the east. The borough is 32 square miles (82.9 km²), with a population of nearly 38,000.
The Carrickfergus Borough Council area consists of 3 electoral areas: Carrick Castle, Kilroot and Knockagh Monument. In the last elections in 2005 17 representatives for the area were elected from the following political parties: 8 Democratic Unionist Party
(DUP), 4 Ulster Unionist Party
(UUP), 3 Alliance Party
and 2 Independents. The Mayor of Carrickfergus is Alderman Jim McClurg (DUP). 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
There is no other council in Ireland which is more Protestant in population. There are no nationalist parties, such as the Social Democratic and Labour Party
(SDLP) or Sinn Féin
on the council.
Carrickfergus Borough Council owes its origin to the 1973 local government reorganisation in Northern Ireland. At that time the original Carrickfergus Borough Council, Whitehead Urban District Council and part of the Larne Rural District Council area were amalgamated to create the present Carrickfergus Borough Council area.
Together with the neighbouring district of Larne
and a small part of Newtownabbey
, it forms the East Antrim constituency for elections to the Westminster Parliament and Northern Ireland Assembly
.
County Antrim
County Antrim is one of six counties that form Northern Ireland, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland. Adjoined to the north-east shore of Lough Neagh, the county covers an area of 2,844 km², with a population of approximately 616,000...
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...
. The council headquarters are in Carrickfergus
Carrickfergus
Carrickfergus , known locally and colloquially as "Carrick", is a large town in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is located on the north shore of Belfast Lough, from Belfast. The town had a population of 27,201 at the 2001 Census and takes its name from Fergus Mór mac Eirc, the 6th century king...
and the council administers the town, on the north shore of Belfast Lough
Belfast Lough
Belfast Lough is a large, natural intertidal sea lough at the mouth of the River Lagan on the east coast of Northern Ireland. The inner part of the lough comprises a series of mudflats and lagoons. The outer lough is restricted to mainly rocky shores with some small sandy bays...
, and surrounding area, which extends from Greenisland
Greenisland
Greenisland is a village in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It lies 7 miles north-east of Belfast and 3 miles south-west of Carrickfergus. The village is on the coast of Belfast Lough and is named after a tiny islet to the west, the Green Island....
in the south-west to Whitehead in the east. The borough is 32 square miles (82.9 km²), with a population of nearly 38,000.
The Carrickfergus Borough Council area consists of 3 electoral areas: Carrick Castle, Kilroot and Knockagh Monument. In the last elections in 2005 17 representatives for the area were elected from the following political parties: 8 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), 4 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 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 2 Independents. The Mayor of Carrickfergus is Alderman Jim McClurg (DUP). 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...
There is no other council in Ireland which is more Protestant in population. There are no nationalist parties, such as the 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) or 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...
on the council.
Carrickfergus Borough Council owes its origin to the 1973 local government reorganisation in Northern Ireland. At that time the original Carrickfergus Borough Council, Whitehead Urban District Council and part of the Larne Rural District Council area were amalgamated to create the present Carrickfergus Borough Council area.
Together with the neighbouring district of Larne
Larne
Larne is a substantial seaport and industrial market town on the east coast of County Antrim, Northern Ireland with a population of 18,228 people in the 2001 Census. As of 2011, there are about 31,000 residents in the greater Larne area. It has been used as a seaport for over 1,000 years, and is...
and a small part of Newtownabbey
Newtownabbey
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 East 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...
.