Ards and North Down Borough Council | |
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Type | |
Type | |
History | |
Founded | 1 April 2015 |
Preceded by | Ards Borough Council North Down Borough Council |
Leadership | |
Mayor | Cllr Jennifer Gilmour, DUP |
Deputy Mayor | Cllr Hannah Irwin, Alliance |
Structure | |
Seats | 40 |
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Political groups | Executive (34) DUP (14) Alliance (12) UUP (8) Opposition (6) Green (2) Independent (3) SDLP (1) |
Elections | |
Last election | 18 May 2023 |
Meeting place | |
![]() City Hall, Bangor Castle | |
Website | |
http://ardsandnorthdown.gov.uk |
Ards and North Down Borough Council is a local authority in Northern Ireland that was established on 1 April 2015. It replaced Ards Borough Council and North Down Borough Council. The first elections to the authority took place on 22 May 2014 and, prior to the official creation of the Ards and North Down district on 1 April 2015, it acted as a shadow authority.
The district was originally called "North Down and Ards"[1] but the council was known as "Ards and North Down District Council".[2] Councillors on the transitional shadow authority (prior to the council's official creation) voted on 15 December 2014 to submit an application to the Department of the Environment to change the name to East Coast Borough Council with effect from 1 April 2015.[2] Negative public reaction to the proposed name prompted a rethink.[3] The district name "Ards and North Down" was not finalised until 2016.[4] The transfer of the borough charter from North Down Borough Council was delayed until after the district naming.[1]
In the New Year the Council will formally apply for Borough status and will submit an application to the DoE to change the name to East Coast Borough Council with effect from 1 April 2015; until then the Council will be known as North Down and Ards District Council