Lisburn City Council
Encyclopedia
Lisburn City Council is a district council
covering an area partly in County Antrim
and partly in County Down
in Northern Ireland
. The council is the second largest in the Belfast Metropolitan Area
. Council headquarters are in the city
of Lisburn
, upon which was conferred city status in May 2002 as a result of the council's success in the Queen Elizabeth II
Golden Jubilee competition. It is the second-largest council area in Northern Ireland with over 108,000 residents and an area of 174 square miles (450.7 km²) of south-west Antrim and north-west Down. It stretches from Glenavy
and Dundrod
in the north to Dromara
and Hillsborough
in the south and from Drumbo
in the east to Moira
and Aghalee
in the west.
The council area consists of five electoral areas: Downshire, Dunmurry Cross, Killultagh, Lisburn Town North and Lisburn Town South. It has 30 councillors, last elected in 2005. The current composition is: 12 Democratic Unionist Party
(DUP), 7 Ulster Unionist Party
(UUP), 4 Sinn Féin
, 3 Alliance Party
, 3 Social Democratic and Labour Party
(SDLP) and 1 Independent Unionist. The current Mayor is Councillor Alderman Paul Porter (DUP), and the Deputy Mayor is Councillor Brian Heading (SDLP). An election was due to take place in May 2009, but was postponed due to an ongoing review of local government.
For elections to the Westminster Parliament, the council area is currently split between the Lagan Valley constituency
and the West Belfast constituency. In the 2010 Westminster election, the Glenavy area was placed in the South Antrim constituency
, and the Dunmurry area was placed in the West Belfast constituency.
in 2011 to form a single council for the enlarged area totalling 540 km² and a population of 175,182. 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.
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...
covering an area partly in County Antrim
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...
and partly in County Down
County Down
-Cities:*Belfast *Newry -Large towns:*Dundonald*Newtownards*Bangor-Medium towns:...
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 is the second largest in the Belfast Metropolitan Area
Belfast Metropolitan Area
The Belfast Metropolitan Area is a grouping of council areas which include commuter towns and overspill from Belfast, Northern Ireland with a population of 579,276. The area was first officially classified as a Metropolitan area in the late 1990s when the Government began to prepare for a cohesive...
. Council headquarters are in the city
City
A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...
of Lisburn
Lisburn
DemographicsLisburn Urban Area is within Belfast Metropolitan Urban Area and is classified as a Large Town by the . On census day there were 71,465 people living in Lisburn...
, upon which was conferred city status in May 2002 as a result of the council's success in the Queen Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
Golden Jubilee competition. It is the second-largest council area in Northern Ireland with over 108,000 residents and an area of 174 square miles (450.7 km²) of south-west Antrim and north-west Down. It stretches from Glenavy
Glenavy
Glenavy is a village in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, 17 kilometres north west of Lisburn on the banks of the Glenavy River. In the 2001 Census it had a population of 1,069 people. In early documents it was known as Lenavy.-Demographics:...
and Dundrod
Dundrod
Dundrod is a small village and townland in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. In the 2001 Census it had a population of 63 people. It is within in the Lisburn City Council area.- Buildings :...
in the north to Dromara
Dromara
Dromara is a small village and townland in County Down, Northern Ireland. It lies to the southwest of Ballynahinch on the northern slopes of Slieve Croob, with the River Lagan flowing through it. In the 2001 Census it had a population of 597 people....
and Hillsborough
Hillsborough, County Down
Hillsborough is a village and townland in County Down, Northern Ireland, situated from the city of Belfast. It is within the Lisburn City Council area....
in the south and from Drumbo
Drumbo
Drumbo is a small village and townland in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It lies about south of Belfast city centre, east of Lisburn and west of Carryduff. The 2001 Census recorded the village's population as being 408....
in the east to Moira
Moira, County Down
Moira is a village in County Down, Northern Ireland. It is in the northwest of the county, near the borders with counties Antrim and Armagh. The M1 motorway and Dublin–Belfast railway line are nearby. The settlement has existed since time immemorial...
and Aghalee
Aghalee
Aghalee is a village in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is three miles from the southeast corner of Lough Neagh on the main road between Lurgan and Antrim and about 13 kilometres west of Lisburn. The village lies on the steep wooded slopes of Friary Glen and is beside the now disused Lagan...
in the west.
The council area consists of five electoral areas: Downshire, Dunmurry Cross, Killultagh, Lisburn Town North and Lisburn Town South. It has 30 councillors, last elected in 2005. The current composition is: 12 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), 7 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 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....
, 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) and 1 Independent Unionist. The current Mayor is Councillor Alderman Paul Porter (DUP), and the Deputy Mayor is Councillor Brian Heading (SDLP). An election was due to take place in May 2009, but was postponed due to an ongoing review of local government.
For elections to the Westminster Parliament, the council area is currently split between the Lagan Valley constituency
Lagan Valley (UK Parliament constituency)
Lagan Valley is a Parliamentary Constituency in the United Kingdom House of Commons.- Boundaries :The seat was created in 1983, as part of an expansion of Northern Ireland's constituencies from 12 to 17, and was predominantly made up from parts of South Antrim and North Down. In their original...
and the West Belfast constituency. In the 2010 Westminster election, the Glenavy area was placed in the South Antrim constituency
South Antrim (UK Parliament constituency)
South Antrim is a Parliamentary Constituency in the United Kingdom House of Commons.-Boundaries:From 1885, this constituency was one of four county divisions of the former Antrim constituency...
, and the Dunmurry area was placed in the West Belfast constituency.
Constituent cities, towns and villages
- AghaleeAghaleeAghalee is a village in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is three miles from the southeast corner of Lough Neagh on the main road between Lurgan and Antrim and about 13 kilometres west of Lisburn. The village lies on the steep wooded slopes of Friary Glen and is beside the now disused Lagan...
- AnnahiltAnnahiltAnnahilt is a village in north County Down, Northern Ireland. It is 7.5 miles south of Lisburn, and about 14 miles south-west of Belfast, on the main road between Ballynahinch and Hillsborough. In the 2001 Census the village had a population of 1,148...
- DunmurryDunmurryDunmurry is an urban townland, in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. Located between Belfast and Lisburn, it was once a rural village, but is now within the Greater Belfast conurbation...
- DrumboDrumboDrumbo is a small village and townland in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It lies about south of Belfast city centre, east of Lisburn and west of Carryduff. The 2001 Census recorded the village's population as being 408....
- DromaraDromaraDromara is a small village and townland in County Down, Northern Ireland. It lies to the southwest of Ballynahinch on the northern slopes of Slieve Croob, with the River Lagan flowing through it. In the 2001 Census it had a population of 597 people....
- GlenavyGlenavyGlenavy is a village in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, 17 kilometres north west of Lisburn on the banks of the Glenavy River. In the 2001 Census it had a population of 1,069 people. In early documents it was known as Lenavy.-Demographics:...
- HillsboroughHillsborough, County DownHillsborough is a village and townland in County Down, Northern Ireland, situated from the city of Belfast. It is within the Lisburn City Council area....
- LisburnLisburnDemographicsLisburn Urban Area is within Belfast Metropolitan Urban Area and is classified as a Large Town by the . On census day there were 71,465 people living in Lisburn...
- MaghaberryMaghaberryMaghaberry or Magaberry is a village and townland in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It is 9 kilometres west of Lisburn and 4 kilometres north of Moira. In the 2001 Census it had a population of 1,696 people...
- MoiraMoira, County DownMoira is a village in County Down, Northern Ireland. It is in the northwest of the county, near the borders with counties Antrim and Armagh. The M1 motorway and Dublin–Belfast railway line are nearby. The settlement has existed since time immemorial...
2011 Election results
2011 saw the continued advancement of the DUP and Sinn Fein within the council Area. In Downshire, the DUP picked up a seat from the UUP, and in Dunmurray Cross, Sinn Fein gained from the SDLP. However the SDLP loss was compensated by changing demographics in the North Lisburn DEA, where the SDLP took a seat for the first time. There were no changes in the Killutagh or Lisburn Town South DEAs. The election was a notable success for the DUP who succeeded in returning all their candidates with the exception of Ben Mallon a local student standing in Lisburn North.| Party | seats | change +/- | |
|---|---|---|---|
| • | 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... |
14 | +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... |
5 | -2 |
| • | 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... |
5 | +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... |
3 | = |
| • | Alliance Party of Northern Ireland 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.... |
3 | = |
| • | 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... |
0 | = |
Mayors of Lisburn
- 1977 - 78?: Elsie Kelsey, Ulster Unionist PartyUlster Unionist PartyThe 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...
- 1978 - 79:
- 1979 - 81: AldermanAldermanAn alderman is a member of a municipal assembly or council in many jurisdictions founded upon English law. The term may be titular, denoting a high-ranking member of a borough or county council, a council member chosen by the elected members themselves rather than by popular vote, or a council...
Dr Samuel Semple MBEMBEMBE can stand for:* Mail Boxes Etc.* Management by exception* Master of Bioethics* Master of Bioscience Enterprise* Master of Business Engineering* Master of Business Economics* Mean Biased Error...
, Ulster Unionist PartyUlster Unionist PartyThe 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... - 1981 - 83: Billy Belshaw, Democratic Unionist PartyDemocratic Unionist PartyThe 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...
- 1983 - 85: Maureen McKinney, Ulster Unionist PartyUlster Unionist PartyThe 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...
- 1985 - 87: Walter Lilburn, Ulster Unionist PartyUlster Unionist PartyThe 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...
- 1987 - 88:
- 1988 - 89: Billy Bleakes, Ulster Unionist PartyUlster Unionist PartyThe 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...
- 1990 - 91:
- 1991 - 93: Ivan DavisIvan Davis (politician)Ivan Davis is a Unionist politician in Northern Ireland.Born in Lisburn, Davis was elected to Lisburn Borough Council in 1973, representing the Democratic Unionist Party . He was also elected to represent South Antrim at the Northern Ireland Assembly election, 1982.In 1987, Davis resigned from...
, Ulster Unionist PartyUlster Unionist PartyThe 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... - 1993 - 94: Seamus CloseSeamus CloseSeamus Close OBE is a Northern Ireland politician, former member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for Lagan Valley and a former deputy leader of the Alliance Party....
, Alliance Party of Northern IrelandAlliance Party of Northern IrelandThe 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.... - 1994 - 96:
- 1996 - 98?: George Morrison, Ulster Unionist PartyUlster Unionist PartyThe 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...
- 1998 - 00: Peter O'HaganPeter O'HaganPeter O'Hagan was an Irish Nationalist politician who sat as a Social Democratic and Labour Party Councillor on Lisburn City Council. He was one of three SDLP members of the predominantly Unionist council....
, Social Democratic and Labour PartySocial Democratic and Labour PartyThe 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... - 2000 - 02: Jim Dillon, Ulster Unionist PartyUlster Unionist PartyThe 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...
- 2002 - 03: Betty Campbell, Alliance Party of Northern IrelandAlliance Party of Northern IrelandThe 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....
- 2003 - 04: Billy BellBilly BellWilliam Edward Bell was a Canadian professional ice hockey centre who played four seasons in the National Hockey Association and six in the National Hockey League for the Montreal Wanderers, Montreal Canadiens and Ottawa Senators. He won the Stanley Cup in 1924 with the Canadiens.-Career...
, Ulster Unionist PartyUlster Unionist PartyThe 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... - 2004 - 05: Cecil CalvertCecil Calvert (politician)Cecil Calvert is a Unionist politician in Northern Ireland, and long-serving councillor on Lisburn City Council.Calvert worked for the B Specials Constabulary and as a farmer before joining the Democratic Unionist Party . In 1985, he was elected to Lisburn Borough Council, representing Killultagh...
, Democratic Unionist PartyDemocratic Unionist PartyThe 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... - 2005 - 06: Jonathan CraigJonathan CraigJonathan Craig MLA is a unionist politician in Northern Ireland. He was elected in 2007 to the Northern Ireland Assembly as a Democratic Unionist Party member for Lagan Valley and re-elected at the 2011 election....
, Democratic Unionist PartyDemocratic Unionist PartyThe 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... - 2006 - 07: Trevor LunnTrevor LunnTrevor Lunn is an Alliance Party politician in Northern Ireland.He was elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly for Lagan Valley in the 2007 assembly election. Mr. Lunn took over the Alliance candidacy for Lagan Valley from Seamus Close, the long time representative for the area...
, Alliance Party of Northern IrelandAlliance Party of Northern IrelandThe 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.... - 2007 - 08: James Tinsley, Democratic Unionist PartyDemocratic Unionist PartyThe 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...
- 2008 - 09: Ronnie Crawford, Ulster Unionist PartyUlster Unionist PartyThe 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...
- 2009 - 10: Allan Ewart, Democratic Unionist PartyDemocratic Unionist PartyThe 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...
- 2010 - 11: Paul Porter, Democratic Unionist PartyDemocratic Unionist PartyThe 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...
Review of Public Administration
Under the Review of Public Administration (RPA) the Council is due to merge with Castlereagh Borough CouncilCastlereagh Borough Council
Castlereagh is a local government district with the status of borough in Northern Ireland. It is a largely urban borough bordering Belfast. Unusually, it has no natural borough centre, largely consisting of a series of suburbs of Belfast in the Castlereagh Hills to the south-east of the city with...
in 2011 to form a single council for the enlarged area totalling 540 km² and a population of 175,182. 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.