Local government structure

Local government in Northern Ireland is made up of 26 councils. These councils look after a range of services such as your local sport and leisure centre or arranging your bin collection.

Your local council

You can find out more about your local council and the services it provides by visiting its website. The following link to nidirect's contacts section will help.

• Local councils in Northern Ireland (contacts section)

Local government reform programme

There are changes planned for local government, with a reduction of council areas from 26 to 11. Bigger councils would have more power to make decisions on local services and to be more responsive to local needs.

The Local Government Boundaries Commissioner was responsible for making recommendations on the number, boundaries and names of the 11 new council wards and districts. The commissioner submitted his final recommendations in a report to the Department of the Environment (DOE) on Monday 22 June 2009.

You can find more information on the Local Government Boundaries Commission website.

• Local Government Boundaries Commission website
• Boundary Commissioner's Report - Final Recommendations

What will this mean to you?

You will get the same services that you always had, but delivered in a more efficient, effective and suitable way. Local councils will take on extra roles in areas including:

• planning
• public realm function of local roads
• regeneration
• emergency planning
• community planning

This new structure will help create more vibrant, healthy, prosperous, people-focused communities.

More useful information

• Levels of government in Northern Ireland
• The Northern Ireland Assembly