The Local Government (Boundaries) Act (Northern Ireland) 1971 (c. 9 (N.I.)) was an act of the Parliament of Northern Ireland, passed in 1971 to replace the previous system of local authorities established by the Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898. The system was based on the recommendations of the Macrory Report, of June 1970, which presupposed the continued existence of the Government of Northern Ireland to act as a regional-level authority.

Northern Ireland was to be divided into twenty-six local government districts, each consisting of a number of wards. The act did not define the Districts exactly, but provided a list of 26 existing local government areas which would form the basis of the pattern. It then gave the Governor of Northern Ireland the power to appoint a Local Government Boundaries Commissioner.

The commissioner's proposals were put into effect by the Local Government (Boundaries) Order (Northern Ireland) 1972 (SR&O(NI) 1972/131), dated 17 July 1972.Belfast Gazette, 28 July 1972 No.2800 p. 288

The 1971 act created districts, but did not make provision for councils to govern them. This was done by the Local Government Act (Northern Ireland) 1972 (c. 9 (N.I.)). The councils created by the latter act came into existence on 1 October 1973.

Local government districts and wards The following list shows the original names of the twenty-six local government districts. A number later changed their name or gained borough or city status under the Local Government Act (Northern Ireland) 1972. Also shown are the wards into which each local government district was divided. While the Local Government (Northern Ireland) Act 1972 stated, "It shall be taken that each ward shall return one member to the council of the district in which it is situated", by the time the first elections were held on 30 May 1973, a system of proportional representation using multi-member district electoral areas had been introduced. The electoral areas consisted of groupings of between four and eight wards, with a number of councillors being elected for each area equal to the number of wards. The wards were subsequently used as building blocks for other units such as constituencies, and census statistics have been compiled for them.

Existing area named in Act District Name No. of Wards Names of WardsAntrim urban district electoral divisionAntrim15Aldergrove, Balloo, Ballycraigy, Ballyrobin, Cranfield, Crumlin, Drumanaway, Massereene, Parkgate, Parkhall, Randalstown, Stiles, Tardree, Templepatrick, ToomeArmagh urban districtArmagh20Ballymartrim, Carrigatuke, Charlemont, Demesne, Derrynoose, Downs, Hockley, Keady, Killeen, Killylea, Laurelvale, Lisanally, Loughgall, Lurgyvallen, The Mall, Markethill, Milford, Poyntz Pass, Richhill, TandrageeBallycastle urban districtMoyle16Armoy, Ballintoy, Ballylough, Bushmills, Carnmoon, Dalriada, Dunseverick, Glenaan, Glenariff, Glendun, Glenshesk, Kinbane, Knocklayd, Moss-side, Quay, RathlinBallymena boroughBallymena21Ahoghill, Ballee, Ballykeel, Ballyloughan, Broughshane, Galgorm, Castle Demesne, Craigywarren, Cullybackey, Dunclug, Dunminning, Fair Green, Glenravel, Glenwhirry, Grange, Harryville, Kells, Park, Portglenone, Slemish, WaveneyBallymoney urban districtBallymoney16Ballyhoe and Corkey, Benvardin, Castlequarter, Clogh Mills, Dervock, Dunloy, Fairhill, The Hills, Killoquin Lower, Killoquin Upper, Kilraghts, Newhill, Seacon, Stranocum, Town Parks, The VowBanbridge urban districtBanbridge15Annaclone, Ballydown, Ballyoolymore, Central, Croob, Dromore, Drumadonnell, Edenderry, Garran, Gilford, Lawrencetown, Loughbrickland, Quilly, Seapatrick, SkeaghBangor boroughNorth Down20Ballyholme, Ballymagee, Bangor Castle, Bangor Harbour, Bryansburn, Churchill, Clandeboye, Conlig, Craigavad, Crawfordsburn, Cultra, Groomsport, Holywood Demesne, Holywood Priory, Loughview, Princetown, Rathgael, Silverstream, Springhill, WhitehillBelfast county boroughBelfast51Andersonstown, Ardoyne, Ballygomartin, Ballyhackamore, Ballymacarret, Ballynafeigh, Ballysillan, Bellevue, Belmont, Bloomfield, Cavehill, Castleview, Central, Cliftonville, Clonard, Court, Cromac, Crumlin, Donegall, Duncairn, Falls, Finaghy, Fortwilliam, Grosvenor, Grove, Highfield, Island, Ladybrook, Legoniel, Malone, Milltown, The Mount, New Lodge, North Howard, Orangefield, Ormeau, Rosetta, St. George's, St. James, Shandon, Shankill, Stormont, Stranmillis, Suffolk, Sydenham, University, Upper Malone, Whiterock, Willowfield, Windsor, WoodvaleCarrickfergus boroughCarrickfergus15 Blackhead, Boneybefore, Castle, Clipperstown, Eden, Knockagh, Love Lane, Lower Greenisland, Middle Greenisland, Northland, Sunnylands, Trooperslane, Victoria, Whitehead, WoodburnCastlereagh district electoral divisionCastlereagh19Ballyhanwood, Beechill, Carrowreagh, Cregagh, Carryduff, Downshire, Dundonald, Enler, Four Winds, Gilnahirk, Hillfoot, Lisnasharragh, Lower Braniel, Minnowburn, Moneyreagh, Newtownbreda, Tullycarnet, Upper Braniel, WynchurchColeraine boroughColeraine20Agivey, Ballywillin, Castlerock, Central, Churchland, Cross Glebe, The Cuts, Dhu Varren, Dunluce, Garvagh, Kilrea, Knockantern, Macosquin, Mount Sandel, Portrush, Portstewart, Ringsend, Strand, University, WatersideCookstown urban districtCookstown15Ardboe, Coagh, Dunamore, Gortalowry, Killycoply, Lissan, The Loop, Moneymore, Newbuildings, Oaklands, Old Town, Pomeroy, Sandholes, Stewartstown, TullaghCraigavon urban districtCraigavon25Aghagallon, Annagh, Bachelors Walk, Belle Vue, The Birches, Bleary, Breagh, Brownlow, Brownstown, Church, Court, Edgarstown, Hartfield, Kernan, Killycomain, Kinnegoe, Knocknashane, Magheralin, Mourneview, Parklake, Taghnevan, Tavanagh, Waringstown, Woodside, WoodvilleDownpatrick urban districtDown20Ardglass, Audley's Acre, Ballymaglave, Castlewellan, Cathedral, Crossgar, Derryboy, Donard, Dundrum, Dunmore, Killough, Killyleagh, Kilmore, Market, Quoile, Saintfield, Seaforde, Shimna, Strangford, TollymoreDungannon urban districtDungannon20Altmore, Augher, Aughnacloy, Ballygawley, Benburb, Caledon, Castlecaulfield, Clogher, Coalisland North, Coalisland South, Donaghmore, Drumglass, Fivemiletown, Killymaddy, Killyman, Killymeal, Lisnahull, Moy, Moygashel, Washing BayEnniskillen boroughFermanagh20Ballinamallard, Belcoo and Belmore, Belleek and Boa, Brookeborough, Castlecoole, Derrygonnelly, Derrylin, Devenish, Erne, Florencecourt and Kinawley, Garrison, Irvinestown, Kesh Ederny and Lack, Lisbellaw, Lisnaskea, Maguire's Bridge, Newtownbutler, Rosslea, Rossorry, TempoLarne boroughLarne15Antiville, Ballycarry, Ballyloran, Blackcave, Carncastle, Carnlough, Central, Craigy Hill, Gardenmore, Glenarm, Glynn, Harbour, Island Magee, Kilwaughter, Town ParksLimavady urban districtLimavady15Aghanloo, Binevenagh, Coolessan, Dungiven, Feeny, Forest, Glack, Gresteel, The Highlands, Magilligan, Myroe, Rathbrady, Roeside, Upper Glenshane, WalworthLisburn boroughLisburn23Ballymacbrennan, Blaris, Collin, Derryaghy, Dromara, Drumbo, Dunmurry, Glenavy, Hilden, Hillhall, Hillsborough, Knockmore, Lagan Valley, Lambeg, Lisnagarvey, Magheragall, Magheralave, Maze, Moira, Old Warren, Seymour Hill, Tonagh, TullyruskLondonderry county boroughLondonderry27Altnagelvin, Banagher, Beechwood, Brandywell, Caw, Claudy, Clondermot, Creggan Central, Creggan South, Crevagh, Culmore, The Diamond, Ebrington, Eglinton, Enagh, Faughan, Pennyburn, Prehen, Riverside, Rosemount, St. Columb's, Shantallow, Springtown, Strand, Victoria, Waterloo, Wells, WestlandMagherafelt district electoral divisionMagherafelt15Ballymaguigan, Bellaghy, Castledawson, Draperstown, Gulladuff, Knockloughrim, Lecumpher, Lower Glenshane, Maghera, Swatragh, Tobermore, Town Parks East, Town Parks West, Upperlands, ValleyNewry urban districtNewry and Mourne30Annalong, Ballybot, Ballycrossan, Belleek, Bessbrook, Binnian, Camlough, Clonallan, Cranfield, Creggan, Crossmaglen, Daisy Hill, Derrymore, Donaghmore, Drumalane, Drumgath, Drumgullion, Fathom, Forkhill, Kilkeel, Lisnacree, Mourne, Newtownhamilton, Rathfriland, Rostrevor, St. Mary's, St. Patrick's, Seaview, Spelga, Tullyhappy, Windsor HillNewtownabbey urban districtNewtownabbey21Ballyclare, Ballyeaston, Ballyhenry, Ballynure, Bradan, Carnmoney, Cloughfern, Coole, Doagh, Dunanney, Glengormley, Hopefield, Jordanstown, Mallusk, Monkstown, Mossgrove, Mossley, Rostulla, Whiteabbey, Whitehouse, WhitewellNewtownards boroughArds17Ballyhalbert, Ballygowan, Carrowdore, Central, Comber North, Comber South, Donaghadee North, Donaghadee South, Glen, Greyabbey, Killinchy, Kircubbin, Loughries, Movilla, Portaferry, Scrabo, UlstervilleOmagh urban districtOmagh20Beragh, Carrickmore, Clanabogan, Dergmoney, Dromore, Drumquin, Drumnakilly, Drumragh, East, Fairgreen, Fairy Water, Fintona, Gortin, Killyclogher, Newtownsaville, Owenglen, Sixmilecross, Strule, Trillick, WestStrabane urban districtStrabane20Artigarvan, Castlederg, Clare, Dunnamanagh, East, Finn, Glenderg, Newtownstewart, North, Plumbridge, Sion Mills, Slievekirk, South, Victoria Bridge, West † Craigavon Urban District replaced Lurgan Rural District in 1967.New Towns (Municipal Functions—Craigavon) Order (Northern Ireland) 1967 (S.R. & O. 1967, No. 57)

Changes and repeal The areas established by the act were reviewed on a number of occasions: in 1985 the number of wards was increased from 524 to 562. In 1993 the number of wards was again increased to 582, and in 1993 the ward of Rathfriland was transferred from Newry and Mourne to Banbridge district. There were also minor boundary changes, such as the transfer of rural parts of Legoniel from Belfast to Antrim in 1985.

In 1984 the name of the local government district, as distinct from the city, was changed to Derry, and in 1999 Dungannon District was renamed Dungannon and South Tyrone.

The act was repealed by the Local Government (Boundaries) Act (Northern Ireland) 2008.

Notes

References

External links

Local Government (Boundaries) Act (Northern Ireland) 1971 from CAIN Web Service Review Body on Local Government in Northern Ireland 1970 (Macrory Report) from CAIN Web Service