Strabane District Council
Encyclopedia
Strabane District Council is a Local Council in County Tyrone
in Northern Ireland
. The headquarters of the Council is in the town
of Strabane
. Apart from Strabane the other smaller towns in the area include Plumbridge
, Newtownstewart
, Donemana
, Sion Mills
and Castlederg
. Also included in the Strabane District Council area are the following rural areas: Glenmornan
, Evish
, Glebe
, Artigarvan
, Ballymagorry
.
The Strabane District Council area consists of three electoral areas: Derg, Glenelly and Mourne from which 16 members are elected. At the last elections in 2005 members were elected from the following political parties: 8 Sinn Féin
, 3 Democratic Unionist Party
(DUP), 2 Social Democratic and Labour Party
(SDLP), 2 Ulster Unionist Party
(UUP) and 1 Independent Nationalist. The current Council Chairperson is Councillor Michaela Boyle (Sinn Féin) and the Vice Chair is Councillor Thomas Kerrigan (DUP)
in 2011 to form a single council for the enlarged area totalling 1303 km² and a population of 143,314. The next election was due to take place in May 2009, but on April 25, 2008, Shaun Woodward
, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
announced that the scheduled 2009 district council elections were to be postponed until the introduction of the eleven new councils in 2011.
County Tyrone
Historically Tyrone stretched as far north as Lough Foyle, and comprised part of modern day County Londonderry east of the River Foyle. The majority of County Londonderry was carved out of Tyrone between 1610-1620 when that land went to the Guilds of London to set up profit making schemes based on...
in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
. The headquarters of the Council is in the town
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
of Strabane
Strabane
Strabane , historically spelt Straban,is a town in west County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It contains the headquarters of Strabane District Council....
. Apart from Strabane the other smaller towns in the area include Plumbridge
Plumbridge
Plumbridge is a small village in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It is a crossroads village, standing on the banks of the Glenelly River. In the 2001 Census it had a population of 267 people. It lies within the Strabane District Council area....
, Newtownstewart
Newtownstewart
Newtownstewart is a village and townland in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It is overlooked by hills called Bessy Bell and Mary Gray and is at the confluence of the rivers Strule and Owenkillew. In the 2001 Census it had a population of 1,479 people. It lies within the Strabane District Council...
, Donemana
Donemana
Donemana or Dunnamanagh is a small village in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It is 11 kilometres north-east of Strabane, on the banks of the Burn Dennett and at the foothills of the Sperrins...
, Sion Mills
Sion Mills
Sion Mills is a village in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland on the River Mourne. In the 2001 Census it had a population of 2,050 people. It lies within the Strabane District Council area...
and Castlederg
Castlederg
Castlederg is a village in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It lies on the River Derg and is close to the border with County Donegal. The village has a ruined castle and two ancient tombs known as the Druid's Altar and Todd's Den...
. Also included in the Strabane District Council area are the following rural areas: Glenmornan
Glenmornan
Glenmornan is a hamlet in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It is in the townland of Brownhill, northeast of Strabane and southeast of Artigarvan. In the 2001 Census it had a population of 78 people. Glenmornan is in the Strabane District Council area....
, Evish
Evish
Evish is a small rural community area in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland situated 3 miles from Strabane and 7 miles from Plumbridge. Within the area is Evish Primary School. and also Evish Cross Community Group....
, Glebe
Glebe, County Tyrone
Glebe is a small village in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. In the 2001 Census it had a population of 672 people. It is in the Strabane District Council area.The soccer team of Glebe United FC competes in the Fermanagh and Western Division 1.- See also :...
, Artigarvan
Artigarvan
Artigarvan is a village in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It is 3 miles from Strabane and 4 miles from Dunnamanagh, within the Strabane District Council area...
, Ballymagorry
Ballymagorry
Ballymagorry or Ballymagory is a small village and townland in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It is west of Artigarvan and north of Strabane. In the 2001 Census it had a population of 565...
.
The Strabane District Council area consists of three electoral areas: Derg, Glenelly and Mourne from which 16 members are elected. At the last elections in 2005 members were elected from the following political parties: 8 Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin
Sinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970...
, 3 Democratic Unionist Party
Democratic Unionist Party
The Democratic Unionist Party is the larger of the two main unionist political parties in Northern Ireland. Founded by Ian Paisley and currently led by Peter Robinson, it is currently the largest party in the Northern Ireland Assembly and the fourth-largest party in the House of Commons of the...
(DUP), 2 Social Democratic and Labour Party
Social Democratic and Labour Party
The Social Democratic and Labour Party is a social-democratic, Irish nationalist political party in Northern Ireland. Its basic party platform advocates Irish reunification, and the further devolution of powers while Northern Ireland remains part of the United Kingdom...
(SDLP), 2 Ulster Unionist Party
Ulster Unionist Party
The Ulster Unionist Party – sometimes referred to as the Official Unionist Party or, in a historic sense, simply the Unionist Party – is the more moderate of the two main unionist political parties in Northern Ireland...
(UUP) and 1 Independent Nationalist. The current Council Chairperson is Councillor Michaela Boyle (Sinn Féin) and the Vice Chair is Councillor Thomas Kerrigan (DUP)
2005 Election results
| Party | seats | change +/- | |
|---|---|---|---|
| • | Sinn Féin Sinn Féin Sinn Féin is a left wing, Irish republican political party in Ireland. The name is Irish for "ourselves" or "we ourselves", although it is frequently mistranslated as "ourselves alone". Originating in the Sinn Féin organisation founded in 1905 by Arthur Griffith, it took its current form in 1970... |
8 | +1 |
| • | Democratic Unionist Party Democratic Unionist Party The Democratic Unionist Party is the larger of the two main unionist political parties in Northern Ireland. Founded by Ian Paisley and currently led by Peter Robinson, it is currently the largest party in the Northern Ireland Assembly and the fourth-largest party in the House of Commons of the... |
3 | = |
| • | Ulster Unionist Party Ulster Unionist Party The Ulster Unionist Party – sometimes referred to as the Official Unionist Party or, in a historic sense, simply the Unionist Party – is the more moderate of the two main unionist political parties in Northern Ireland... |
2 | = |
| • | Social Democratic and Labour Party Social Democratic and Labour Party The Social Democratic and Labour Party is a social-democratic, Irish nationalist political party in Northern Ireland. Its basic party platform advocates Irish reunification, and the further devolution of powers while Northern Ireland remains part of the United Kingdom... |
2 | -2 |
| • | Independent Independent (politician) In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do... |
1 | +1 |
Rates
On 12 February 2008, Strabane District Council stuck the district rate for 2008-09. The new domestic district rate became £3.1274 per thousand capital value, an increase of 6.47%. The new non-domestic district rate became 21.282p in the pound, an increase of 6.47%.Review of Public Administration
Under the Review of Public Administration (RPA) the Council is due to merge with Derry City CouncilDerry City Council
Derry City Council is a district council in County Londonderry in Northern Ireland. The Council is is responsible for the city of Derry and the immediate environ, providing services to an estimated population of , making it the third largest district council in Northern Ireland by population.The...
in 2011 to form a single council for the enlarged area totalling 1303 km² and a population of 143,314. The next election was due to take place in May 2009, but on April 25, 2008, Shaun Woodward
Shaun Woodward
Shaun Anthony Woodward is a British Labour Party politician who has been the Member of Parliament for St Helens South since 2001. He served in the Cabinet from 28 June 2007 to 11 May 2010 as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland...
, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, informally the Northern Ireland Secretary, is the principal secretary of state in the government of the United Kingdom with responsibilities for Northern Ireland. The Secretary of State is a Minister of the Crown who is accountable to the Parliament of...
announced that the scheduled 2009 district council elections were to be postponed until the introduction of the eleven new councils in 2011.