Northern Ireland Orders in Council

(a) in the year 2006; and

(b) thereafter, during the period not less than 8 or more than 12 years from the date of the submission under subsection (6) of the final report of the last previous Commissioner appointed under this subsection.

    (2) The function of a Commissioner appointed under subsection (1)(a) shall be to make recommendations regarding—

(a) the boundaries and names of the 7 districts mentioned in Article 3 of the Local Government (Boundaries) (Northern Ireland) Order 2006; and

(b) the number, boundaries and names of the wards into which each district is to be divided.

    (3) The function of a Commissioner appointed under subsection (1)(b) shall be to review, and make recommendations regarding —

(a) the number, boundaries and names of local government districts; and

(b) the number, boundaries and names of the wards into which each district is divided.

    (4) Where, at a time when no Commissioner stands appointed under subsection (1)–

(a) proposals are made to the Department by a council–


(i) for altering the boundaries of the district of that council, or

(ii) for altering the number of wards into which that district is divided or the boundaries of any of those wards;



(b) proposals are made to the Department by more than one council for the union of the districts of those councils; or

(c) the Department has itself prepared any such proposal as is mentioned in paragraph (a) or (b),

the Department may appoint a Local Government Boundaries Commissioner to consider the proposals and make recommendations.

    (5) Part I of Schedule 4 shall have effect with respect to a Local Government Boundaries Commissioner, and such a Commissioner shall—

(a) regulate his procedure in accordance with Part II of that Schedule; and

(b) make his recommendations in accordance with Part III of that Schedule.

    (6) A Local Government Boundaries Commissioner appointed under subsection (1) or (4) shall submit a final report to the Department within such period as the Department may direct.

    (7) As soon as may be after a Commissioner appointed under subsection (1)(a) submits his final report, the Department shall lay the report before the Assembly together with the draft of an order to give effect, whether with or without modifications, to the recommendations contained in the report.

    (8) If the report of a Commissioner appointed under subsection (1)(b) or (4) recommends any alteration in the number, boundaries or names of any districts or wards, the Department shall, as soon as may be after receiving the report, lay the report before the Assembly together with the draft of an order to give effect, whether with or without modifications, to the recommendations contained in the report.

    (9) Where a draft order to be laid before the Assembly under subsection (7) or (8) proposes to give effect to recommendations of a Commissioner with modifications, the Department shall lay before the Assembly, together with the draft order, a statement of the reasons for the modifications.

    (10) On the approval of the draft order by a resolution of the Assembly, the Department shall make an order in terms of the draft as so approved.".

(a) the Registrar General for Northern Ireland;

(b) the Commissioner of Valuation for Northern Ireland;

(c) the Chief Survey Officer of Ordnance Survey for Northern Ireland; and

(d) the Chief Electoral Officer for Northern Ireland.

Officers

     4. The Department shall appoint—

(a) a secretary; and

(b) such other officers to assist a Commissioner as the Department, with the approval of the Department of Finance and Personnel, may determine.

    (2) The terms and conditions of any appointment under this paragraph shall be such as may be determined by the Department, with the approval of the Department of Finance and Personnel.

(a) that he has commenced his task; and

(b) that he will in due course publish provisional recommendations and cause a public hearing to be held in each of the 7 districts mentioned in Article 3 of the Local Government (Boundaries) (Northern Ireland) Order 2006.

    (3) Where the Commissioner has provisionally determined to make recommendations with respect to a district and the wards within a district, he shall publish in at least two newspapers circulating in that district a notice-

(a) setting out the provisional recommendations or specifying places and times at which copies of the provisional recommendations may be inspected;

(b) stating that representations in writing with respect to the provisional recommendations may be made to the Commissioner in such manner and before such date as may be specified in the notice; and

(c) stating that the public hearing required to be held by sub-paragraph (4) is to be held —


(i) at such place in the district; and

(ii) beginning at such date and time;



as may be so specified.

    (4) Where a Commissioner has published notice under sub-paragraph (3) in respect of a district, he shall, in accordance with the terms of that notice, cause a public hearing to be held in respect of—

(a) the boundary and name of the district; and

(b) the number, boundaries and names of the wards within that district.

    (5) The Commissioner may cause additional public hearings to be held in such manner as he may direct.

    (6) The Commissioner—

(a) shall take into consideration the representations, if any, made in accordance with a notice published under sub-paragraph (3) or at a hearing under sub-paragraph (4) or (5); and

(b) may revise any provisional recommendations.

    (7) Where the Commissioner revises any provisional recommendations with respect to a district or the wards within a district, he may if he thinks fit publish in at least two newspapers circulating in that district a notice-

(a) setting out the revised recommendations or specifying places and times at which copies of the revised recommendations may be inspected; and

(b) stating that representations in writing with respect to the revised recommendations may, within the relevant period, be made to the Commissioner in the manner specified in the notice;

and, if the Commissioner does so, he shall take into consideration any representations made in accordance with the notice.

(a) make a public announcement to the effect that he has commenced his task; and

(b) invite proposals from councils, political parties, associations, organisations and individual members of the public.

    (3) Where the Commissioner has provisionally determined to make recommendations with respect to a district or the wards within a district, he shall publish in at least two newspapers circulating in the district a notice-

(a) setting out the provisional recommendations or specifying places and times at which copies of the provisional recommendations may be inspected; and

(b) stating that representations in writing with respect to the provisional recommendations may, within the relevant period, be made to the Commissioner in the manner specified in the notice.

    (4) Where the period specified in a notice under paragraph (3) in relation to a district has elapsed, the Commissioner may, after giving public notice thereof, cause a public hearing to be held in that district in respect of—

(a) the boundary and name of the district, and the number, boundaries and names of the wards within that district; or

(b) such of those matters as are affected by the recommendations in question.

    (5) Where the Commissioner receives any representations duly made in accordance with the notice under sub-paragraph (3) objecting to the recommendations he has provisionally determined to make-

(a) from the council of the district, or

(b) from not less than 100 local electors registered by virtue of a qualifying address in the district,

the Commissioner shall not make the recommendations unless, since the publication of the notice, a public hearing such as is mentioned in sub-paragraph (4) has been held in the district.

    (6) The Commissioner may cause additional public hearings to be held in such manner as he may direct.

    (7) The Commissioner—

(a) shall take into consideration the representations, if any, made in accordance with a notice published under sub-paragraph (3) or at a hearing under sub-paragraph (4) or (6); and

(b) may revise any provisional recommendations.

    (8) Where the Commissioner revises any provisional recommendations with respect to a district or the wards within a district, he may if he thinks fit publish in at least two newspapers circulating in that district a notice-

(a) setting out the revised recommendations or specifying places and times at which copies of the revised recommendations may be inspected; and

(b) stating that representations in writing with respect to the revised recommendations may, within the relevant period, be made to the Commissioner in the manner specified in the notice;

and, if the Commissioner does so, he shall take into consideration any representations made in accordance with the notice.

(a) make a public announcement to the effect that he has commenced his task; and

(b) invite proposals, including proposals for modifying the proposals he has been appointed to consider, from councils, political parties, associations, organisations and individual members of the public.

    (3) The Commissioner shall also publish in at least two newspapers circulating in the district a notice-

(a) setting out the proposals he has been appointed to consider or specifying places and times at which copies of the proposals may be inspected; and

(b) stating that representations in writing with respect to the proposals may, within the relevant period, be made to the Commissioner in the manner specified in the notice.

    (4) Where the period specified in a notice under paragraph (3) in relation to a district has elapsed, the Commissioner may, after giving public notice thereof, cause a public hearing to be held in that district in respect of the proposals in question.

    (5) Where the Commissioner receives any representations duly made in accordance with the notice under sub-paragraph (3) objecting to the proposals he has been appointed to consider-

(a) from the council of the district, or

(b) from not less than 100 local electors registered by virtue of a qualifying address in the district,

the Commissioner shall not recommend the implementation of the proposals, unless, since the publication of the notice, a public hearing such as is mentioned in sub-paragraph (4) has been held in the district.

    (6) The Commissioner may cause additional public hearings to be held in such manner as he may direct.

    (7) The Commissioner—

(a) shall take into consideration the representations, if any, made in accordance with a notice published under sub-paragraph (3) or at a hearing under sub-paragraph (4) or (6); and

(b) may provisionally determine to recommend modification of the proposals.

    (8) Where the Commissioner provisionally determines to recommend modification of the proposals with respect to a district or the wards within a district, he may if he thinks fit publish in at least two newspapers circulating in that district a notice-

(a) setting out the revised proposals or specifying places and times at which copies of the revised proposals may be inspected; and

(b) stating that representations in writing with respect to the revised proposals may, within the relevant period, be made to the Commissioner in the manner specified in the notice;

and, if the Commissioner does so, he shall take into consideration any representations made in accordance with the notice.

(a) a district shall not be wholly or substantially severed by the boundary of another district; and

(b) a district shall not be wholly or substantially encompassed within the boundary of another district.

     17. In determining the number and boundaries of wards within a district regard shall be had to-

(a) the size, population and physical diversity of the district; and

(b) the desirability that there should be a proper representation of the rural and urban electorate within the district.

     18. –

    (1) Subject to sub-paragraphs (2) and (3), in each district the number of wards shall be 60.

    (2) Where, having regard to the matters mentioned in paragraph 17, the Commissioner considers it desirable that the number of wards in any district should be more than 60, the number of wards in that district may be increased to not more than 65.

    (3) Where, having regard to the matters mentioned in paragraph 17, the Commissioner considers it desirable that the number of wards in any district should be fewer than 60, the number of wards in that district may be decreased to not fewer than 55.

     19. –

    (1) Within any one district there shall, as far as is reasonably practicable having regard to paragraph 17, be substantially the same number of local electors in each ward.

    (2) For the purposes of sub-paragraph (1) it shall be taken that the electors in each ward are the persons registered as local electors, by virtue of a qualifying address within that ward, in the register of electors last published before the making of the announcement mentioned in paragraph 6(2), 7(2) or 8(2) (as the case may be).".