Larne Borough Council facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Larne Borough
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| Area | 336 km2 (130 sq mi) |
| Country | Northern Ireland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| EU Parliament | Northern Ireland |
Larne Borough Council was a local government body in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It was responsible for managing services and making decisions for the people living in the Larne area.
In May 2015, Larne Borough Council joined with two other councils: Ballymena Borough Council and Carrickfergus Borough Council. Together, they formed a new, larger council called Mid and East Antrim Borough Council. This change was part of a big plan to reorganize local government in Northern Ireland.
The main office for Larne Borough Council was in the town of Larne.
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How the Council Worked
The Larne Borough area was divided into three sections for elections: Larne Town, Larne Lough, and Coast Road. In the last election held in 2011, 15 people were chosen to be council members. These members came from different political parties:
- 4 from the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP)
- 3 from the Ulster Unionist Party (UUP)
- 3 from the Alliance Party
- 2 who were Independent (meaning they didn't belong to a specific party)
- 1 from Sinn Féin
- 1 from the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP)
- 1 from Traditional Unionist Voice
Two of the longest-serving council members were Aldermen Jack McKee (from Traditional Unionist Voice) and Roy Beggs (from the Ulster Unionist Party).
Local Areas and Parliament
The former Larne Borough, along with the nearby area of Carrickfergus and part of Newtownabbey, forms a larger area called East Antrim. This area is used for elections to the Westminster Parliament in London and the Northern Ireland Assembly in Belfast.
Many towns and villages were part of the former Larne Borough. These include Ballycarry, Islandmagee, Ballystrudder, Glynn, Magheramorne, Ballygalley, Cairnalbanagh, Glenarm, and Carnlough.
Mayors of Larne
The Mayor was the leader of the Larne Borough Council. Here are some of the people who served as Mayor:
- 1973: Aubrey Girvan (Independent)
- 1978: Roy Beggs (DUP, then UUP)
- 1984: Jack McKee (DUP)
- 2006: Danny O'Connor (SDLP)
- 2011: Bobby McKee (DUP)
- 2014: Martin Wilson (SDLP)
Changes to Local Government
A plan called the Review of Public Administration (RPA) aimed to create fewer, larger councils in Northern Ireland. Larne Borough Council was set to merge with Ballymena and Carrickfergus councils. This new, bigger area would cover about 1047 square kilometers and have around 127,101 people.
Elections for local councils were supposed to happen in May 2009, but they were delayed. This was so that the new, larger councils could be set up properly. The 26 old councils were officially replaced by 11 new ones on April 1, 2015.
Freedom of the Borough
The "Freedom of the Borough" is a special honor given by a council. It allows a military group to march through the towns in the area with "flags flying, bands playing and bayonets fixed."
In 2008, Larne Borough Council gave this honor to the Royal Irish Regiment. This was to remember a battle in Afghanistan in 2006. The council also gave the regiment a new marching song called 'Musa Qala', named after the town where the battle happened.
Council Services
The council managed several services for the community. One example is Carnfunnock Country Park, which is about 3.5 miles from Larne. The council owned and ran this park for everyone to enjoy.
Population of the Area
According to the 2011 Northern Ireland census, the area that used to be covered by Larne Borough Council had a population of 32,180 people.
