THE future shape of local government in Northern Ireland was revealed last week as the names of the 11 new councils were announced.
Antrim will merge with Newtownabbey Council to become Antrim and Newtownabbey District Council.
Details of the areas of the councils, due to come into existence in less than three years, also emerged and will now go out for public consultation.
Local Government Boundaries Commissioner Dick Mackenzie made clear the new councils will be able to change their names once they come into being, if changes are not already made following the consultation period or by the Assembly.
The number of wards overall reduces from the current 582 to 460, and Belfast will have a total of 60 while each of the other ten will have 40.
The proposed names of the new local government districts across Northern Ireland are: Belfast City Council; Derry City and Strabane District Council; Armagh City and Bann District Council; Lisburn City and Castlereagh District Council; Newry City and Down District Council; Antrim and Newtownabbey District Council; Ards and North Down District Council;
Causeway Coast District Council; Fermanagh and Omagh District Council; Mid Antrim District Council; Mid Ulster District Council.
The full article contains 203 words and appears in Antrim Times newspaper.
