Write a commentNewry goes to the Polls this Thursday to elect Councillors for the new District of Newry, Mourne and Down which will combine Newry and Mourne District Council and Down District Council.
A total of ten candidates are on the Newry polling card. The ten are Charlie Casey, Sinn Fein; Jacinta Duffy, SDLP; Valerie Harte, Sinn Fein; Davy Hyland, Independent; Liz Kimmins, Sinn Fein; Joshua Lowry, UUP; James Malone, Independent; Kevin McAteer, SDLP; Peter McEvoy, SDLP and Gary Stokes, SDLP.
The two current councils at present have a total of 53 Councillors comprising Sinn Fein - 19; SDLP - 18; UUP - 5; Independent - 5; DUP - 4; Alliance - 1 and UKIP - 1.
The new Council will have a population of approximately 167.000 and 41 Councillors will be elected with six chosen from Newry City alone. After 1st of April 2015 when the 11 new councils take over from the current 26 it will be the third largest Council in the North.
At present the new council has the working name of “Newry, Mourne and Down District” but after the local government elections they will be able to change their name which give them the chance to acknowledge the approximately 20% of the council area in County Armagh!
The new council will also have to decide where they will have their headquarters!
Voting is from 7am to 10pm. The European Parliamentary Election is also being held on Thursday.
The new council’s responsibilities will also include local planning, urban regeneration, community development, local economic and tourism development and off street parking.
The full list of functions transferring to the new council
Planning (DOE)
Local development plan functions
Development control and enforcement
Roads (DRD)
Off street parking (except Park and Ride).
Urban regeneration and community development (DSD)
Town and city regeneration;
Area-based regeneration
Support for the voluntary and community sectors at local level.
Housing (DSD)
Housing unfitness
Houses in multiple occupation
Local Economic development (transfer from Invest NI) (DETI)
Start a Business Programme and Enterprise Shows
Youth Entrepreneurship (such as Prince’s Trust and Shell Livewire)
Social Entrepreneurship
Investing for Women
Neighbourhood Renewal funding relating to enterprises initiatives.
Local Tourism (DETI)
Small scale tourism accommodation development
Providing business support including business start up advice along with training and delivery of customer
care schemes
Providing advice to developers on tourism policies and related issues
Other
Authority to Spot List to enable Councils to add a building to the statutory list on a temporary basis, subject to ratification by the DOE (DOE)
Authority to draw up local lists of buildings that are of architectural and/or historic interest (DOE)
Local water recreational facilities (DCAL)
Local sports; (greater involvement of local government in local sports decisions); (DCAL)
