Derry City Council, Re Application for Judicial Review | |
---|---|
Court | High Court of Northern Ireland |
Full case name | Derry City Council, Re Application for Judicial Review [2007] NIQB 5 |
Citation | [2007] NIQB 5 |
Case opinions | |
Decision by | Mr Justice Weatherup |
Derry City Council, Re Application for Judicial Review [2007] NIQB 5 is a 2007 High Court of Northern Ireland application for judicial review. It was brought by the Derry City Council requesting that the British government change the official name of the Northern Irish city of Londonderry to Derry in keeping with the council's policy. The request was declined after the judge ruled that as the city was named Londonderry via a royal charter, any change could only be made by the monarch under the royal prerogative or by British legislation. [1]
The historic city of Derry in the Kingdom of Ireland was destroyed in 1608. It was rebuilt by members of The Honourable The Irish Society and the livery companies of the City of London. The rebuilt city was granted a royal charter by King James I giving it the name of Londonderry in recognition of the City of London's part in the rebuilding. [2] A further royal charter was issued in 1662 by King Charles II affirming the change of name as it stated; "We will, ordain, constitute, confirm, and declare that the said city or town of Derry, for ever hereafter be, and shall be named and called the City of Londonderry." [3]
The city eventually grew to become the second largest city in Northern Ireland after Belfast. [4] In 1984, the nationalist Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) had gained control of the city council and changed the name of the council from Londonderry City Council to Derry City Council over opposition from unionist members. It was stated then that they needed to petition Queen Elizabeth II for the change to be official for the city name due to the charter. The nationalist-led council replied that they had no intention of "petitioning an English Queen to change the name of our Irish city". [5] As such, the city's name officially remained as Londonderry. [6] In 2005, the city's solicitor wrote to the Department of the Environment requesting official recognition of Derry being the name of the city, which was denied by the department. [1] As a result, in 2006, the council applied for a judicial review in order to determine if it was legally possible to change the official name of the city, which was granted after the British government continued to call the city Londonderry. [7]
The case was heard at the High Court of Northern Ireland by Justice Weatherup. The council's argument was that they had legally changed the name of the city under the Local Government Act (Northern Ireland) 1972 and by the Change of District Name (Londonderry) Order (Northern Ireland) 1984 made by the Department of the Environment. [8] The government responded that the council lacked the legal authority to alter the charter as under the Government of Ireland Act 1920, which partitioned Ireland into Northern Ireland and Southern Ireland, it stated that the newly created Parliament of Northern Ireland had no authority over matters concerning The Crown, royal prerogative or any titles of honour granted by The Crown as these were "excepted matters". Justice Weatherup rejected the three arguments made that the council lacked the authority to attempt the change citing that the 1972 act made a clear separation of the authority of the Crown and the royal prerogative and that the name of the city was not a title of honour. [1]
The government then argued that as Derry City Council was the legal successor to the Londonderry Corporation which ran the city prior to 1972, then the council were obliged to maintain the original name. The court also rejected this assertion stating that there was no legal obligation to continue the name of the Londonderry Corporation. [1] Justice Weatherup then considered if the council had officially changed the name of the city. He viewed that there was a separation between the city and the district and that the council could apply to substitute the name of the district under the 1972 act which was done in 1984; though it was noted that the city did not attempt to alter the name of County Londonderry. He found that the council had legally changed the name of the district but this had no effect on the legal name of the city. [1]
In summing up, Justice Weatherup affirmed the authority to change the name of the district was present in the 1972 act but it did not extend to changing the names of cities nor did he agree that any proposed change was "necessary or expedient". [1] He stated that if the council wished to change the city name, then they needed to petition Privy Council of the United Kingdom and that it was the council's responsibility to pursue that option if they wished. As a result, the judgement of the court was to deny the application of the council confirming that due to the wording of the 1662 royal charter, the name of the city could only be changed by the monarch using the royal prerogative or via legislation from the Parliament of the United Kingdom. [6] [9]
Following the ruling, Sinn Féin councillors stated they would continue to fight for the name change. Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) councillor Gregory Campbell said that the court ruling "should put the issue to rest". [6] Sinn Féin members on the council often made motions to change the official name of the city from Londonderry to Derry over the following decade; all were defeated in council votes by DUP and SDLP votes. [10] In 2015, a motion in favour of a rename was passed and an official request was made to the government. The request was denied in the House of Lords, with Lord Dunlop stating "At this time the Government does not intend to change the name of the City of Londonderry." [11]
Derry, officially Londonderry, is the largest city in County Londonderry, the second-largest in Northern Ireland and the fifth-largest on the island of Ireland. The old walled city lies on the west bank of the River Foyle, which is spanned by two road bridges and one footbridge. The city now covers both banks.
The counties of Ireland are historic administrative divisions of the island. They began as Norman structures, and as the powers exercised by the Cambro-Norman barons and the Old English nobility waned over time, new offices of political control came to be established at a county level. The number of counties varied depending on the time period, however thirty-two is the traditionally accepted and used number.
County Londonderry, also known as County Derry, is one of the six counties of Northern Ireland, one of the thirty-two counties of Ireland and one of the nine counties of Ulster. Before the partition of Ireland, it was one of the counties of the Kingdom of Ireland from 1613 onward and then of the United Kingdom after the Acts of Union 1800. Adjoining the north-west shore of Lough Neagh, the county covers an area of 2,118 km2 (818 sq mi) and today has a population of about 252,231.
City status in the United Kingdom is granted by the monarch of the United Kingdom to specific centres of population, which might or might not meet the generally accepted definition of cities. Some settlements in the UK have held city status since time immemorial. As of 22 November 2022, there are 76 cities in the United Kingdom—55 in England, seven in Wales, eight in Scotland, and six in Northern Ireland. Although it carries no special rights, the status of city can be a marker of prestige and confer local pride.
The Social Democratic and Labour Party is a social-democratic and Irish nationalist political party in Northern Ireland. The SDLP currently has seven members in the Northern Ireland Assembly (MLAs) and two members of Parliament (MPs) in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom.
An Order-in-Council is a type of legislation in many countries, especially the Commonwealth realms. In the United Kingdom, this legislation is formally made in the name of the monarch by and with the advice and consent of the Privy Council (King-in-Council), but in other countries the terminology may vary. The term should not be confused with Orders of Council, which are made in the name of the Council without sovereign approval.
Foyle is a constituency in Northern Ireland covering Derry, represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament. Its current Member of Parliament (MP) has been Colum Eastwood of the SDLP since 2019.
City of Derry Airport, previously known as RAF Eglinton and Londonderry Eglinton Airport, is a regional airport located 7 mi (11 km) northeast of Derry, Northern Ireland. It is located on the south bank of Lough Foyle, a short distance from the village of Eglinton and 8 mi (13 km) from the city centre.
Foyle College is a co-educational non-denominational voluntary grammar school in Derry, Northern Ireland. The school's legal name is Foyle and Londonderry College. In 1976, two local schools, Foyle College and Londonderry High School, merged under the Foyle and Londonderry College Act 1976 to form Foyle and Londonderry College. In 2011, the Board of Governors re-branded the school as 'Foyle College' and updated the school's crest.
Derry City Council was the local government authority for the city of Derry in Northern Ireland. It merged with Strabane District Council in April 2015 under local government reorganisation to become Derry and Strabane District Council.
Coleraine Borough Council was a local council mainly in County Londonderry and partly in County Antrim in Northern Ireland. It merged with Ballymoney Borough Council, Limavady Borough Council and Moyle District Council in May 2015 under local government reorganisation in Northern Ireland to become Causeway Coast and Glens District Council.
The names of the city and county of Derry or Londonderry in Northern Ireland are the subject of a naming dispute between Irish nationalists and unionists. Generally, although not always, nationalists favour using the name Derry, and unionists Londonderry. Legally, the city and county are called "Londonderry", while the local government district containing the city is called "Derry City and Strabane". The naming debate became particularly politicised at the outset of the Troubles, with the mention of either name acting as a shibboleth used to associate the speaker with one of Northern Ireland's two main communities. The district of Derry and Strabane was created in 2015, subsuming a district created in 1973 with the name "Londonderry", which changed to "Derry" in 1984.
The Local Government Act 1972 was an act of the Parliament of Northern Ireland that constituted district councils to administer the twenty-six local government districts created by the Local Government (Boundaries) Act 1971, and abolished the existing local authorities in Northern Ireland.
Borough status 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. In Scotland, similarly chartered communities were known as royal burghs, although the status is no longer granted.
The Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council is an honorary position bestowed upon a Citizen of Derry City & Strabane District in Northern Ireland, who is in practice a member of Derry and Strabane District Council, chosen by their peers on the council to serve a one-year term. The mayor is the chairperson of the council as well as the city's first citizen. The current mayor is Lilian Seenoi-Barr of the SDLP.
The Guildhall in Derry, Northern Ireland, is a guildhall in which the elected members of Derry City and Strabane District Council meet. It is a Grade A listed building.
In Ireland, the term city has somewhat differing meanings in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
The first election to the new Derry and Strabane District Council took place on 22 May 2014, as part of the Northern Ireland local elections that year.
The 1973 Londonderry City Council election took place on 30 May 1973 to elect members of Londonderry City Council in Northern Ireland. This was on the same day as other Northern Irish local elections. The campaign was significant in that, following changes to the election process and districts, Irish nationalist parties were able to take control of the council for the first time.