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Northern Ireland Councils

Official council routes for democracy, planning, finance, services and complaints.

About this page

Official council routes for democracy, planning, finance, services and complaints.

Northern Ireland: support, councils and current changes

This page keeps the detailed council and transparency information. For practical services, independent advice or changing local schemes, use the connected support pages.

Northern Ireland Local SupportLatest Northern Ireland UpdatesUK Local Support
Councils• Assembly & Executive• Planning• Finance• Health• Education• Housing• Justice• Accountability• Checklists

Region at a glance

How Northern Ireland differs:councils handle functions such as local planning, building control, waste, environmental health, leisure, licensing, economic development and community planning. Education, health and social care, social housing, roads and policing are mainly delivered through Northern Ireland departments and regional bodies.
Independent disclaimer:Right First Time UK is not affiliated with any council, the Northern Ireland Assembly or Executive, HSC body, Education Authority, Housing Executive, PSNI or Ombudsman. Verify current forms, contacts and deadlines through the responsible official body.
11 councilsAll local government districts.
90 MLAsFive from each of 18 constituencies.
10 + 1 planningRegional portal plus Mid Ulster’s system.
5 HSC trustsPlus the Ambulance Service.
1 Education AuthorityRegion-wide education administration.
FOI, EIR and SARSeparate information rights.

Find a council or topic

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Northern Ireland’s 11 councils

Official council routes for democracy, planning, finance, services and complaints.

CouncilNorthern Ireland

Antrim and Newtownabbey Council

Official routes for representatives, meetings, planning, community planning, finance, procurement, information rights and complaints.

CouncilNorthern Ireland

Ards and North Down Council

Official routes for representatives, meetings, planning, community planning, finance, procurement, information rights and complaints.

CouncilNorthern Ireland

Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Council

Official routes for representatives, meetings, planning, community planning, finance, procurement, information rights and complaints.

CouncilNorthern Ireland

Belfast Council

Official routes for representatives, meetings, planning, community planning, finance, procurement, information rights and complaints.

CouncilNorthern Ireland

Causeway Coast and Glens Council

Official routes for representatives, meetings, planning, community planning, finance, procurement, information rights and complaints.

CouncilNorthern Ireland

Derry City and Strabane Council

Official routes for representatives, meetings, planning, community planning, finance, procurement, information rights and complaints.

CouncilNorthern Ireland

Fermanagh and Omagh Council

Official routes for representatives, meetings, planning, community planning, finance, procurement, information rights and complaints.

CouncilNorthern Ireland

Lisburn and Castlereagh Council

Official routes for representatives, meetings, planning, community planning, finance, procurement, information rights and complaints.

CouncilNorthern Ireland

Mid and East Antrim Council

Official routes for representatives, meetings, planning, community planning, finance, procurement, information rights and complaints.

CouncilNorthern Ireland

Mid Ulster Council

Official routes for representatives, meetings, planning, community planning, finance, procurement, information rights and complaints.

Planning note: Mid Ulster operates its own planning system rather than the regional Planning Portal.

CouncilNorthern Ireland

Newry, Mourne and Down Council

Official routes for representatives, meetings, planning, community planning, finance, procurement, information rights and complaints.

Assembly, Executive and public participation

Planning, environment and infrastructure

Public finance, procurement and audit

Health and social care

Education, SEN and families

Housing, homelessness and benefits

Police, courts, fire and justice

Information rights, Ombudsmen, equality and statistics

Public transparency checklist

  1. Identify the body that legally owns the decision.
  2. Search agendas, minutes, committee papers, consultations and published policies.
  3. Record dates, report authors, recommendations, amendments, votes and decisions.
  4. Check declarations and registers of interests.
  5. Compare budgets and business cases with contracts, spending, accounts and outcomes.
  6. Search eTendersNI, Contracts Finder and Find a Tender.
  7. Use FOI for recorded public information, EIR for environmental information and SAR for your personal data.
  8. Request an internal review where FOI or EIR handling is inadequate.
  9. Complete the relevant complaint procedure before Ombudsman escalation unless another statutory appeal applies.
  10. Save dated copies of records and correspondence.

Planning transparency checklist

  1. Save the application reference, description and validation date.
  2. Download forms, plans, evidence and amendments.
  3. Check consultation notices and representations.
  4. Review statutory-consultee responses.
  5. Read the officer report and planning policies relied upon.
  6. Review committee minutes, interests and voting where applicable.
  7. Save the decision notice, conditions and reasons.
  8. Check enforcement and appeal records.
  9. Remember Mid Ulster has a separate planning system.

Complaint routes

IssueFirst routeEscalation
Council or public-service failureInternal complaints procedureNIPSO where within jurisdiction
Police conductPolice Ombudsman NISpecialist review or legal route
FOI or EIRInternal reviewICO, then tribunal
Personal dataData controller or DPOICO
Health and social careHSC complaints procedureNIPSO, RQIA or regulator
SEN decisionEducation Authority processSEND Tribunal where appealable
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