• Get Word Viewer - This link will open a new browser window.

  • Get Adobe Reader - This link will open a new browser window.

  • Get Excel Viewer in a new window

About Us

The context for the appointment of the Local Government Boundaries Commissioner on 1 July 2008 was the outworking of the Review of Public Administration Opens New Browser Window and the consequential Local Government (Boundaries) (Northern Ireland) Order 2006 as amended by the Local Government (Boundaries) Act (Northern Ireland) 2008, which established the legal framework for the review.

The Act provides for the establishment of eleven new local government districts in Northern Ireland with reference to the existent 26 councils, and for the districts to be divided into approximately 40 wards per district (Belfast, as the largest district, will have 60 wards).  The Commissioner was responsible for making recommendations regarding the boundaries and names of the eleven new council districts 62KB Opens New Browser Window, as announced by the Minister of the Environment on 31st March 2008 and the number, boundaries and names of the wards into which each district was to be divided.

The Commissioner was required to submit his final report to the Department of the Environment (DOE) by 30 June 09.  The final report was presented to the Minister of the Environment on 22 June 2009. The DOE will lay the report before the Assembly together with the draft of an Order to give effect, either with or without modifications, to the recommendations contained in the report.  On the approval of the draft Order, DOE must make an Order in terms of the draft as approved.

The Commissioner was assisted by four statutory Assessors in identifying and reviewing relevant available data and in analysing various statistics.  The Department of the Environment  also, at the request of the Commissioner, appointed a number of Assistant Commissioners to hold public hearings and provide advice to the Commissioner.  A Secretariat made up of administrative and professional staff through secondment from the Northern Ireland Civil Service provided support to the Commissioner.  The remuneration and expenses of the Commissioner, Assistant Commissioners and staff were charged to the Consolidated Fund.