Local Government Act (Northern Ireland) 1972

[F1 PART III N.I. RULES IN ACCORDANCE WITH WHICH RECOMMENDATIONS OF A COMMISSIONER ARE TO BE MADE

F1 Schedule 4 substituted (17.5.2006) by Local Government (Boundaries) (Northern Ireland) Order 2006 (S.I. 2006/1253 (N.I. 8)), arts. 1(2), 4(2), Sch. 1

14 N.I. Regard shall be had to the desirability of determining district and ward boundaries which are readily identifiable.

15 N.I. A townland shall not, except where in the opinion of the Commissioner it is unavoidable, be included partly in one district or ward and partly in another.

16 N.I. As far as practicable—

(a) a district shall not be wholly or substantially severed by the boundary of another district; and

(b) a district shall not be wholly or substantially encompassed within the boundary of another district.

17 N.I. In determining the number and boundaries of wards within a district regard shall be had to-

(a) the size, population and physical diversity of the district; and

(b) the desirability that there should be a proper representation of the rural and urban electorate within the district.

[F2 18 (1) Subject to sub-paragraphs (2) and (3)— N.I.

(a) in the district of Belfast the number of wards shall be 60;

(b) in each other district the number of wards shall be 40.

(2) Where, having regard to the matters mentioned in paragraph 17, the Commissioner considers it desirable that the number of wards in any district should be more than that specified in sub-paragraph (1), the number of wards in that district may be increased by not more than 5.

(3) Where, having regard to the matters mentioned in paragraph 17, the Commissioner considers it desirable that the number of wards in any district should be fewer than that specified in sub-paragraph (1), the number of wards in that district may be decreased by not more than 5.]

F2 Sch. 4 para. 18 substituted (23.5.2008) by Local Government (Boundaries) Act (Northern Ireland) 2008 (c. 7), ss. 2(3)(c), 5(1)

19 N.I. –

(1) Within any one district there shall, as far as is reasonably practicable having regard to paragraph 17, be substantially the same number of local electors in each ward.

(2) For the purposes of sub-paragraph (1) it shall be taken that the electors in each ward are the persons registered as local electors, by virtue of a qualifying address within that ward, in the register of electors last published before the making of the announcement mentioned in paragraph 6(2), 7(2) or 8(2) (as the case may be).]