Elections to be held next year

ELECTIONS will be held next year to 26 local councils in Northern Ireland, after the Government said there was no sign of the reorganisation being resolved in the near future.

By The Newsroom

Published 24th Jun 2010, 11:11 BST

Minister of State, Hugo Swire MP, has written to the First and deputy First Ministers confirming that local elections in Northern Ireland in 2011 will be held to the existing 26 councils. This follows confirmation from Environment Minister, Edwin Poots MLA, that the reorganisation of local government in 2011 will not now go ahead.

The Minister said: "Like many, I am disappointed that the reorganisation will not now go ahead in 2011, not least because Parliament agreed to postpone the 2009 elections to provide for this.

"Clearly it would be unacceptable for the elections to be further postponed beyond 2011 given that there is no sign of the situation being resolved in the immediate future. There is now no option but to hold these elections to the existing 26 councils notwithstanding the fact that their boundaries have not been reviewed since 1992."