Banbridge District Council

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Banbridge District Council
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Banbridge District Council was the local authority of Banbridge in Northern Ireland. It was created in 1973 when the Local Government (Boundaries) Act (Northern Ireland) 1971 came into force. In May 2015, it merged with Armagh City and District Council and Craigavon Borough Council to form one of 11 new local government units. The new council area was named Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon District Council.

Contents

District council

Avonmore House, the former offices of Banbridge District Council Avonmore House, Banbridge, County Down, Ireland.JPG
Avonmore House, the former offices of Banbridge District Council

The district was divided into three electoral areas: Banbridge, Knockiveagh and Dromore, which between them returned 17 members. Elections of the whole council were usually held every four years and were conducted under the proportional representation single transferable vote system. Notably, Banbridge District Council was the only council controlled by one party (the UUP) from its creation in 1973 until the year 2000 [2] when the DUP gained a seat in a by-election in Dromore. [3] Following the May 2011 local-government elections, the UUP retook its position from the DUP as the largest party on the council, winning seven of the 17 seats available. This was one of the few gains made by the UUP in either the local or Assembly elections of that year. Six of the 17 councillors elected in 2011 were women. At 56 per cent, turnout in the 2011 elections was the lowest it had been since Banbridge Council was formed in 1973.

In the civic year 2011–2012 UUP councillors Joan Baird and Carol Black served as the head and deputy head of the council. This was the first time in the history of Banbridge Council that the positions of chairman and vice-chairman had been held by women. [4]

District Electoral Areas

1972/3

When it was created, the Council was divided into the following District Electoral Areas under the Local Government (District Electoral Areas) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1973: -

1. A - 7 seats - wards of Gilford, Edenderry, Lawrencetown, Central, Loughbrickland, Ballydown and Seapatrick.

2. B - 8 seats - wards of Annaclone, Balloolymore, Drumadonnell, Quilly, Garran, Skeagh, Croob and Dromore.

The names and boundaries of those wards (mainly made up of townlands) had been set by the Local Government (Boundaries) Order (Northern Ireland) 1972 (page 593).

1984/5

Prior to the 1985 local election, the Council was divided into the following DEAs under the District Electoral Areas (Northern Ireland) Order 1985 (page 359)

1. Banbridge Town - 5 seats - wards of Ballydown, Banbridge West, Edenderry, Fort and Seapatrick.

2. Dromore - 5 seats - wards of Croob, Dromore North, Dromore South, Garran and Quilly.

3. Knockiveagh - 5 seats - wards of Bannside, Gilford, Katesbridge, Lawrencetown and Loughbrickland.

The names of those wards had been set by the Local Government (Boundaries) Order (Northern Ireland) 1984 (page 885). Their boundaries were shown on maps deposited at the office of the Department of the Environment.

1992/3

Prior to the 1993 local election, the Council was divided into the following DEAs under the District Electoral Areas (Northern Ireland) Order 1993: -

1. Banbridge Town - 6 seats - wards of Ballydown, Banbridge West, Edenderry, Fort, Seapatrick and The Cut.

2. Dromore - 5 seats - wards of Ballyward, Dromore North, Dromore South, Gransha and Quilly.

3. Knockiveagh - 6 seats - wards of Bannside, Gilford, Katesbridge, Lawrencetown, Loughbrickland and Rathfriland.

The names of those wards had been set by the Local Government (Boundaries) Order (Northern Ireland) 1992. Their boundaries were shown on maps deposited at the office of the Department of the Environment.

Election results

Elections of the entire council were held every four years. The number of seats won by each party is shown below. [5] An election was due in 2009, but this was delayed until 2011 so as to accommodate the completion of a local-government reform programme aimed at reducing the number of council areas from 26 to 11. [6] The proposed amalgamation was abandoned in 2010, and so the 2011 elections returned members for the original 26 councils. [7]

Party1973197719811985198919931997200120052011
UUP 88889109757
DUP 0343223565
SDLP 1223333332
SF 0000000002
Alliance 0000010111
Other Unionist3100000010
Independent3111112110
Total seats15151515151717171717
Female councillors-------376
Turnout (incl. spoilt ballots)71.3463.6272.4367.1765.7862.0557.5769.6063.4556.42

Dromore by-election, 2008

In late 2007 UUP Councillor Tyrone Howe resigned due to work commitments. [8] The resulting by election was the first electoral test for Traditional Unionist Voice. [9] Against expectations, [10] the UUP held the seat. [11]

Dromore By-Election – 14 February 2008
PartyCandidateCount 1Count 2Count 3Count 4Count 5
DUP Paul Stewart10691074112711781508
Ulster Unionist Carol Black912937111911941571
TUV Keith Harbinson739742801828-828
Alliance David Griffin357479-479
Sinn Féin Paul Gribben350507567-567
SDLP John Drake290-290
Green (NI) Helen Corry59-59
Electorate=9688, valid=3776, spoiled=17, quota=1889

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Dromore was one of the three district electoral areas in Banbridge, Northern Ireland which existed from 1985 to 2014. The district elected five members to Banbridge District Council, and formed part of the Lagan Valley constituencies for the Northern Ireland Assembly and UK Parliament.

Knockiveagh was one of the three district electoral areas in Banbridge, Northern Ireland which existed from 1985 to 2014. The district elected five members to Banbridge District Council until 1993, and six members until 2014, and formed part of the Upper Bann constituencies for the Northern Ireland Assembly and UK Parliament.

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Banbridge Area A was one of the two district electoral areas in Banbridge, Northern Ireland which existed from 1973 to 1985. The district elected seven members to Banbridge District Council, and formed part of the South Down constituencies for the Northern Ireland Assembly and UK Parliament.

Banbridge Area B was one of the two district electoral areas in Banbridge, Northern Ireland which existed from 1973 to 1985. The district elected eight members to Banbridge District Council, and formed part of the South Down constituencies for the Northern Ireland Assembly and UK Parliament.

References

  1. ↑ "No. 3656". The Belfast Gazette . 16 March 1979. p. 235.
  2. ↑ Banbridge election results.
  3. ↑ Dromore 2000 by-election result
  4. ↑ "Baird and Black Take Top Council Posts". Banbridge District Council. Archived from the original on 29 September 2011. Retrieved 19 May 2011.
  5. ↑ Ark Elections Data Set.
  6. ↑ Northern Ireland elections are postponed, BBC News, April 25, 2008, accessed April 27, 2008
  7. ↑ "The executive fails to agree a deal on council reform". BBC News. 15 June 2010. Archived from the original on 18 June 2010. Retrieved 8 July 2010.
  8. ↑ Rugby star gives up his council seat – Belfast Today
  9. ↑ Tuv'S Harbinson Pledges To Do His Best For Locals – Dromore Today
  10. ↑ No love lost in Valentine poll – Belfast Today
  11. ↑ UUP take Dromore council seat – Belfast Today
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