Environment Minister, Alex Attwood, today commented that Sinn Fein had rushed their fences on claims that there are anomalies in the redrawing of council boundaries.
He said: “Sinn Fein has got this issue wrong. The confusion is theirs. Unfortunately they have added two and two and got five.
“Local government district and ward boundaries are defined by lines on maps, not by postcodes or street names. The new local government district and ward boundaries are appropriately delineated by lines which appear on maps of the eleven new districts. These maps have been debated and agreed in the Assembly.
“Postcodes are not relevant to setting district or ward boundaries. As postcodes by nature straddle a number of properties, it is perfectly possible for individual postcodes to appear in more than one ward or district.
The Minister continued: “The claim that people could be allocated more than one vote for the next set of local government elections is not true. One person one vote will prevail.”
Notes to editors:
1. The Local Government Boundaries Commissioner recommended the boundaries of the 11 new local government districts and their constituent wards according to the criteria contained within Schedule 4 to the Local Government Act (Northern Ireland) 1972. Boundaries have not been drawn up by post code area.
2. In the course of his work, the Commissioner published a list of street names and postcodes in Northern Ireland.
3. All media enquiries should be directed to the DOE Press Office on 028 9054 0003. Out of office hours, please contact the duty press officer via pager number 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.
He said: “Sinn Fein has got this issue wrong. The confusion is theirs. Unfortunately they have added two and two and got five.
“Local government district and ward boundaries are defined by lines on maps, not by postcodes or street names. The new local government district and ward boundaries are appropriately delineated by lines which appear on maps of the eleven new districts. These maps have been debated and agreed in the Assembly.
“Postcodes are not relevant to setting district or ward boundaries. As postcodes by nature straddle a number of properties, it is perfectly possible for individual postcodes to appear in more than one ward or district.
The Minister continued: “The claim that people could be allocated more than one vote for the next set of local government elections is not true. One person one vote will prevail.”
Notes to editors:
1. The Local Government Boundaries Commissioner recommended the boundaries of the 11 new local government districts and their constituent wards according to the criteria contained within Schedule 4 to the Local Government Act (Northern Ireland) 1972. Boundaries have not been drawn up by post code area.
2. In the course of his work, the Commissioner published a list of street names and postcodes in Northern Ireland.
3. All media enquiries should be directed to the DOE Press Office on 028 9054 0003. Out of office hours, please contact the duty press officer via pager number 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.
Story by DOE
News Archive