Minister says Dunmurry should stay in Lisburn Council area
ENVIRONMENT Minister Edwin Poots has recommended Dunmurry should be retained in Lisburn when the council boundaries change in 2011.
However, his recommendations must still go before the Stormont Executive and it is far from certain they will get the go ahead.
Speaking at the Assembly at the end of October Mr Poots said he was determined changes which would reduce the number of councils from 26 to 11 would go ahead and added: "I took on board the lobbying that took place on behalf of the residents of Dunmurry on the boundary changes, through the submission that was made to the Executive. I identified a stronger boundary than the one that was included in the Local Government Boundaries Commissioner's proposal. Modest modifications have been made."
Mr Poots also recommended that the civic offices in Castlereagh should remain in the new Lisburn/Castlereagh council area.
It is understood that the SDLP are, in principle, supportive of the Minister's proposals. However Sinn Fein is likely to resist the attempt to retain Dunmurry in Lisburn.
Lisburn SDLP Councillor Brian Heading has said he agrees "in principle" that Dunmurry should stay in Lisburn. "Dunmurry Cross is a mixed ward in terms of Nationalists and Unionists whereas the remaining wards earmarked to move into Belfast are overwhelmingly Nationalist," said Mr Heading. "The case we are making is that there is going to be a distinct reduction in the nationalist community in the new Lisburn Castlereagh."
Mr Heading also criticised Sinn Fein for their apparent lack of support for the retention of Dunmurry in Lisburn. "I cannot understand why Sinn Fein are prepared to leave Nationalists in Lisburn and Castlereagh without a voice because demographically and politically that would be the outcome of Dunmurry moving to Belfast.
"There is a wider political game being played by Sinn Fein, who, it seems, are prepared to do without representation of Nationalists on the new council."
Mr Poots' recommendations will now go before the Executive. If no agreement can be reached there is speculation the Secretary of State could intervene. Shaun Woodward could take a decision to either extend the current term of the existing councils for a further one or two years until agreement is reached or to call an election next year based on the current council boundaries.
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Weather for Lisburn
Friday 25 May 2012
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Temperature: 12 C to 23 C
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