The borough of Ballymena was created in 1973 from the merging of the former municipal borough of Ballymena with most of the surrounding Ballymena Rural District. The new council inherited the 1937 charter of incorporation of the municipal borough, continuing the borough status and mayoralty.[1]
Makeup
The borough was divided into four electoral areas: Ballymena North, Ballymena South, Bannside, and Braid, from which 24 members were elected. The entire council was elected every four years by proportional representation. The last 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.[2] The proposed reforms were abandoned in 2010, and the most recent district council elections took place in 2011[3] In February 2012, the political composition of the council was:
1 Independent.[4] The Mayor of Ballymena for 2011-12 was Councillor Hubert Nicholl (DUP).[4]
Population
The area covered by the former Ballymena Borough Council has a population of 64,044 residents according to the 2011 Northern Ireland census.[5]
References
^...the Charter of the Corporation of the Borough of Ballymena shall have effect in relation to the District of Ballymena... the name in the Charter shall be Ballymena Borough Council." "No. 3385". The Belfast Gazette. 31 August 1973. p. 179.
